The Magical Alchemist
by Magician of Blue
Summary: Helena discovers a book about Alchemy while looking for ways to survive the Tri-Wizard Tournament. She read that its from Alchemist Brothers named Edward and Alphonse Elric who wrote the book. She secretly studied Alchemy in her spare time(read:boycott rebellion) and could this be 'the power he knows not? Fem!Harry
1. Chapter 1

A girl's bitter feelings

Helena had found quite an interesting book when everyone started treating her coldly, thinking she cheated her way into the tournament. She was on her own now as her two best friends abandoned her too. So she in turn decided 'screw this' and no longer attended classes and no longer showed up either. In other words, she is perfectly fine with getting suspended and expelled. And using the Marauder's Map, looked around to see if there's anyone near her location while she reads and studies like a man possessed. This was waaay interesting than school now. She had Dobby take her school things and hide them from everyone whom she was furious with, and she sleeps in the Room of Requirement.

She only ever showed up at the task with Dobby as her informant on the tasks, so she could get prepared.

The Horntail? She rained punches on it by transmuting the ground using her wand as a medium with a small transmutation circle carved into the handle using a blade, and rained merciless punches on the poor dragon that got angry enough to blast a fire breath at her, but the earthen fists became a dome to shield her and the flames wound up getting spread out, causing those near the flames in the seats to run from the fire with the adults doing crowd control and protecting the students. Once the breath is over, she transmuted the heated dome into earthen chains that bound its limbs, wings and mouth before calmly walking to the Golden Egg and went off with it.

Silence...

'Excellent Transfiguration Ms. Potter! Now may I have a word with you?' Rita Skeeter asked her.

'Yeah, come to think of it, I need a chat with you, too.' said Helena with a dark, chilly smile.

'Ms. Potter, reporters are not allowed in Hogwarts!' Madam Pomfrey choked out.

'You've got a funny way of showing it if she can get in so easily.' Helena sneered. 'And do, I'm not injured. Don't bother.'

'...you've changed a lot. I can see it, Potter.' said Cedric Diggory, a bit worried about this change. The Helena Potter he knew was shy, a nice girl who even has a crush on him last year but she only went as far as blushing and quick glances that he didn't miss. She didn't like attention and only frequently hung around her small number of friends and her Quidditch Teammates. Now she's like tranquil fury incarnate and she has been a no-show, completely boycotting classes and nobody could find her. She wasn't even in Hogsmeade when the Professors searched! He shuddered at her cold glance.

'You bet I did. Anyone would change.' her tone was just as cold. 'If you find yourself entered in a Tournament and nobody believed you and shunned you, ostracized you and abandoned you, accusing you of a cheater. If I wanted to die, sure, I'm in. But nobody believed me. My so-called friends of all people as well...so right now I swear on my Magic that what I will speak of here is the cold, bitter truth.' she raised her wand to activate the oath.

'Gospodi(My God: in Bulgarian)' Viktor Krum muttered. 'So you really didn't enter illegally?'

'Hell no.' Helena scoffed. 'Let's get started at the beginning, shall we?' she stared Rita in the eye with a dark, Kubrick stare. 'You see, things happen here in this school.' she said when Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley came in.

'Helena!' Hermione cried when Helena cast stinging hexes at rapid succession which they evaded and they looked at her in shock.

'Bloody hell, what's going on?!' Ron demanded angrily. 'We just came here to see you!'

His response?

Helena laughed coldly. It was such a cold laugh that made the Champions, Madam Pomfrey and Rita Skeeter stare at her incredulously while Hermione and Ron froze in shock. 'Came to see me, you say? Ahahaha...that's so rich of you when the two of you of all people accused me of cheating and shunned me away, abandoning me to my fate when I never entered my name in that glorified drinking cup!'

'But you did if your name came out!' Hermione cried as Helena gave her a, 'are you stupid?' look.

'And they call you the smartest witch. Or have you forgotten everything life-threatening we went through and you think I'm barking mad to enter a lethal tournament?' she spat. 'I swear on my magic that everything I will say is the truth. So mote it be.' she cast the Oath a second time, stunning her two former friends. 'Again, let's start with the beginning.' she said as she sat down with Rita Skeeter. 'I never entered my name in that goddamn goblet. I was just as surprised as you when my name came out. Who did it and why, I don't know. And because my name came out, I am forced to participate. I did not ask anyone at age 17 or an adult to put my name in the goblet either. Apparently, that damn age line isn't specific enough. The age line only allows 17 and above to get past it, meaning, 17 up to Dumbledore's age. And as you well know, I'm the girl whose accidental magic as a baby so-called defeated the Dark Lord, thus his Death Eaters are out to get me and most likely, came up with this clever way to get me killed as revenge. And everyone seriously believed I did that as a baby? Everyone must be dumb.' she snorted. That _everyone_ included people in the Healing Tent who gaped at her.

'I bet its my mother who did most of the work before she was killed and then some IDIOT just decided I did it because a baby, me, survived. But they're after me for revenge. Why else would they enter an undereducated, underaged teenager into this Tournament that kills even experienced adults older than I? Even worse, we have two incompetent teachers in my first and second year, and on my third year, a decent teacher who was fired simply for having a monthly period!' everybody choked at her chosen terminology and the men in the room had an awkward blush on their cheeks.

'But Ms. Potter, Remus Lupin is a known Werewolf, a dangerous creature!' Rita Skeeter choked out as Helena flared her fury on her as she blew up on her and slammed her palms on the table.

'Remus is NOT a dangerous man! He was the nicest, kindest person and the most decent teacher we ever had until some greaseball outed his secret!' she snarled. 'He is human 95 percent of the month, and only a wolf on Full Moon! Even then he locks himself away when he changes on his monthlies! In his year here, nobody else became an overgrown furball! And with one decent teacher in my history in Hogwarts, I knew I'll die if I don't do something, especially with no support and everyone shunned and ostracized me and so did my ex-best friends when I need them most. Even worse, the Headmaster and Crouch didn't even help bail me out because Bagman thinks its good publicity because I'm in it. He could have looked at the Tournament Rules and Guidelines for contestants entered against their wills, but nooo, he didn't do anything!' she roared in anger. Hermione was in tears at this point while Ron was torn between guilt and denial by the looks on his face. 'And I don't want to die at age fourteen and give these bastards that satisfaction...so I took to boycotting classes to train on my own. My life is more important right now and I'll do anything to survive this tournament, and whoever put my name in. I no longer care about school at this point. Suspensions and Expulsion from too many absences no longer matter to me. What, Hogwarts isn't the only magic school.' came the dismissive sneer.

'Don't you consider the retired Auror, Mad-Eye Moody as a decent teacher Ms. Potter?' Rita asked her with a perplexed gasp. 'He's a famous Auror in the First War who could outduel many Death Eaters!' she exclaimed. 'He also taught your father back at the Auror Academy!'

'The hell I know that, I was boycotting, remember?' Helena deadpanned flatly. 'I no longer care for my wishy-washy peers either. Their opinions of me is see-saw up-and-down I'm sick and tired of it, and this year is the last straw. Hogwarts, the safest place in the world? Ha! I've known safer places behind a dustbin!' she scoffed out in a sneer. 'I no longer care about Hogwarts. After this year, I'm leaving. To hell with everything. A wishy-washy school, unreliable adults, an incompetent government official and some...'

'Wait, incompetent officials?' Skeeter's eyes shone at this as if Christmas came early. Helena's chilly smile widened.

'Yes...' she said. 'Our esteemed Minister no less.' Helena took the opportunity to retell what truly happened in her Third Year regarding the truth about who the REAL traitor is. And since the Minister refused to believe them out of sheer denial and potential damage to his career and sent Dementors to Kiss an innocent man while Pettigrew, the rat that he is got away and before they could pursue, it was the Full Moon and they had to run for it while Remus tried his best to resist judging by the sheer pain he endured to buy them time to run. And around that point, she had no idea when, Sirius was captured and imprisoned in Flitwick's Office. So she and 'ex-friend 2' had to sneak out and help him escape while avoiding the Dementors using a Time-Turner.

'Merlin's beard...' Rita's Quick Quotes Quill was rapidly writing on her parchment. 'So the real Secret Keeper is in fact, Pettigrew who is still alive, a rat animagus missing a toe and lived as a rat for many years to fake his death, and pinned his crime on Sirius Black? Then why was Black found laughing at the scene of the crime?'

'Because he couldn't believe it.' said Helena. 'One of your best friends was a Death Eater all along right under your noses. Sold your friend and his family, and cleverly pinned his crimes on him when last Sirius checked, he was the weakest and least skilled of the four Marauders.' she said. 'And you know why that piece of shit joined the Dark Lord because I already told you.' she said. 'Lumos!' and her wand lit up. 'I still have my magic so that's the truth.'

'Thank you for your time Ms. Potter.' said Skeeter gleefully at this scoop.

'Oh, I agreed to this on one condition.' said Helena as she gave Rita a severe stare. 'I want our chat to be published the way it is. Do NOT sensationalize it. If you print as what happened in this very tent, I will have a good friend of mine send you 500 Galleons for a job well done. And of course, you don't want me as an enemy either if you piss me off.' she said as by the looks on the woman's face, she is sure to do that. 'Dobby!' she called out as Dobby appeared. 'Kindly escort Ms. Skeeter to Dufftown where I'm sure she can safely Apparate to London without getting intercepted. I want that data fresh and be printed the way it is and _no old goat will stand in my way of sweet, divine justice._'

'Yes Missy Lena!' Dobby placed a hand on Skeeter's leg and they were gone by side-along.

'Now then, time to leave.' Helena muttered as she got off her seat with her egg and was about to leave when Hermione ran towards her.

'Helena, I'm so sorry!' she apologized frantically but she got backhanded hard, causing her to tumble on one of the four beds for Champion's use and everyone was stunned by this as Madam Pomfrey, Cedric, Hermione and Ron knew she never hits anyone.

She did now.

'Ms. Potter!' Madam Pomfrey cried in shock, and affronted at the blatant physical attack.

'You think sorry can easily wash away my feelings of abandonment? You think a mere sorry, can wash away everything I endured?!' Helena roared at her. 'You no longer have the right to use my name and we are no longer friends. Friends don't abandon each other...but you two did and some others I thought were my friends.' and Helena left the tent, leaving Hermione weeping on the bed, heartbroken and sorry, while Ron was frozen where he is.

'I guess you owe her an apology.' said Fleur Delacour, shaking her head. 'Zat's one bitter girl.'

'She's not attending the Yule Ball, dat's for sure.' said Viktor Krum wryly.

'I guess she won't.' Cedric sighed. 'I'm holding a Hufflepuff House Assembly so they can make a public apology even though she'll never show up because she's boycotting.' he said. 'My house are most bitter against her even though I tried saying otherwise. Potter's a really nice, but shy girl who hated attention in the short time I knew her. For a celebrity she has very few friends. This event she got suckered into is the last thing she wants.' he said. 'I better get going.' and he left the tent in possession of his egg.

That night at the Evening Prophet, there's a major uproar caused by that interview printed on paper and the one responsible was a no-show as usual.

That next day, Howlers came, demanding why indeed, wasn't the matter investigated when an underaged girl got into the Tournament and the Age Line was flawed indeed as pointed out. And when the rulebook was read, indeed, there were such clauses but because Helena was forced to accept the Contract under pressure as nobody bailed her out nor have bothered to read the rules thoroughly, she's still in whether she likes it or not. Ludo Bagman and Crouch Sr., as well as Dumbledore received a lot of angry mail for this and is debating on their responsibilities and abilities to be responsible for the Tournament. Thus people will get...replaced as Tournament Coordinators and this time, French and Scandinavian Officials will come to Hogwarts to plan out the remaining two tasks and change the plans the previous officials made. Madame Maxime and Igor Karkaroff were also facing an inquiry for not having read rules and regulations either. Due to this great blunder, the British Ministry was mostly at fault and was under fire for incompetence and negligence. by the French and Scandinavian Ministries. It was one big embarrassment.

Amos Diggory who was angry that Helena stole his son's spotlight apologized in the Prophet. That, and he should have known better and listened to his son who knew her better than he did. Its just that as a father, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for his son he was proud of and he could not accept him being outshone, hence the angry letters he sent her and he was sorry. Cedric had a talk with his Housemates and House Professor about the matter as well and now, after the Tournament, Helena will leave Hogwarts, no longer wanting anything to do with everyone in the school. Almost everyone was sorry for how they treated her but their apology will no longer be accepted and it was made clear.

Sirius Black cracked up as elsewhere, Remus moaned and buried his face in his hands in dismay and embarrassment despite Helena's defense for him. 'Monthly period' indeed! However, amusement and dismay quickly faded when they read the rest of the interview that revealed Helena's feelings on the matter...and the truth about last year. They were now hoping for justice as in the Ministry, there's a big inquiry with Fudge in the hot seat. Because Helena used an Oath, witnessed by Madam Pomfrey, the three other Champions and her two ex-friends and she still has her magic by the end of the Interview, its the truth. And a lot of people admitted that Remus Lupin was their nicest and coolest professor who has fun, hands-on lessons until his 'furry secret' was outed and public demand that he resign.

A happy Sirius Black accompanied by Remus Lupin boldly stormed into the Ministry demanding a Fair Trial now that his goddaughter pulled some strings. When their side of the story came out, it was another Blockbuster. Now a free man, Sirius can do what Helena long wished for, get her away from the Dursleys and have a decent family. Fudge was barely clinging to his office as it is and so are Crouch Sr. and Ludo Bagman. But with Sirius' case and what he did last year...he was on the verge of losing his position he shamelessly begged Sirius to help him and asked him to ask Helena for favors.

He got quite the tongue-lashing in the form of a Howler from Sirius and told him to 'Piss off.'


	2. Chapter 2

A long talk

In the Chamber of Secrets...three days later...

'Missy Lena,' said Dobby. 'I bring youse, Daily Prophet.' he said in his squeaky voice. Helena was studying Chemistry, Physics, and worldly elements for her use in alchemy and was surrounded by books in it. Elements, practical uses in life, properties, strengths and weaknesses, different alloys, whatnot.

'Thank you Dobby.' Helena smiled at her friend elf whom she was using to get things she needed. 'Any information on what the Second Task is?'

'The original plan was that they have champions figure out riddle in golden egg in form of Mermaid Song miss.' said Dobby. 'Outside water, Mermaid song nails on chalkboard.' Helena sweatdropped. 'But in water, its pretty song. Song be heard underwater.' he explained. 'But with frenchies and scandies coming, the plans might change!'

'I see. They here yet or not?'

'Not yet miss. Very very big scandal and missy knows if she reads.' said Dobby with a toothy smile. Helena laughed in amusement at that. 'Oh yes, miss, Sirius Black be here and looking for youse, along with Professor Moony. They be here in Hogwarts now.' Helena lit up in excitement and this was the happiest Dobby's seen her in a month and some.

'Really?!' Helena cried excitedly. 'When they're alone and no snoopy portrait, can you take them here?' she asked Dobby happily.

'Yes miss!' Helena felt elated and happy for the first time in her life. 'Sirius is here...I wonder if things will change from here?'

xxx

Headmaster's Office...

Albus Dumbledore sighed.

Since the day Helena Potter was forced into the Tournament, something he never expected but allowed in hopes of baiting and luring out the one responsible. But he never expected Helena to mysteriously disappear yet she is within Hogwarts as he could feel her Magic Signature never leave the premises. Only to learn after the first task that she literally and blatantly boycotted school in a desperate bid to survive what's coming and she no longer cared about anyone's opinions in the matter. Survival was her priority as she did not want to die at age 14 and called everyone out on their faults and caused one heck of a political fire and great embarrassment to their country. The ICW had a field day and meetings were stressful. And he just got back from another stressful, criticizing meeting.

Indeed she was training if her skilled transfiguration is anything to go by that his Deputy Headmistress was over the moon in delight that while she wasn't happy that she boycotted, she made up for it in her studying shown by her performance, so Minerva was willing to turn a blind eye, and mostly sympathized with Helena's plight...and was one of the many people who tore into him. But the fact that she made it clear that she's leaving caused another fire. And due to her destiny, she must not leave. He had to find some way to pacify the young girl who finally decided she's had it.

He hoped that Sirius and Remus could talk sense into her...and that was after they took out their displeasure on him too for 'not reading the rules and regulations'. He did, but he did what he had to do because of a very important and dire matter and he needs her involvement to lure him out.

He sighed. Things has surely gone wrong.

He almost feared what she'll do if she decided Politics is her thing if she learns just how much clout she actually wields. Her interview alone sparked one hell of a controversy in three nations already! And regarding Britain's treatment of Werewolves was another matter. The French found British MORONS for ostracizing Werewolves whose great abilities were in great effect in the military and the government, and the British shunned them? The one mostly responsible was Dolores Umbridge and her hatred of non-humans and those who weren't Pureblood. She received a lot of flak, and the laws regarding Werewolves were changing fast, when the French gave enough information about Werewolves none of them knew about, which were reasons why they were treated OK in France.

Needless to say, Dolores Umbridge's many racist laws were abolished much to her protests but this is the ICW talking now, NOT the Ministry.

xxx

Hogwarts...

The Newspaper was everyone's topic since the end of the First Task. The students of Hogwarts were noticeably gloomy, save for the Slytherins who took delight in the atmosphere of the three rival Houses who were mostly responsible for driving away Helena Potter who will leave Hogwarts when the year ends. The other two schools weren't sure how to feel about this and Durmstrang was asking Viktor Krum about the British Celebrity he knew little about. And what little he knew came from that interview and what Cedric Diggory thought of her.

She'll be a no-show unless its the tasks due to her Boycott Rebellion.

On the other hand, the adult Weasleys were upset with their younger children in Hogwarts for leaving Helena for things she would never do, and at Helena for boycotting school because her future would be grossly affected. The Howler Queen revealed one thing nobody knew about in her gentle chiding after ranting and raving at her children and Hermione Granger: Helena had opened up to her that she wanted to be a Healer for all the trouble she gets into and she really didn't want a personal bed in the Hospital Wing for all the trouble she gets into in Hogwarts. Her dreams will be affected by her Boycotting and demanded she catches up fast before her Fifth Year OWLs to have enough requirements for NEWTs...

xxx

'Moony, you always give great advice right?' Sirius asked Remus depressingly. 'I know with good reason that Ellie wants to leave. But this is the school we grew up in. I was hoping Helena would be happy here like we did at her age. Its what they would have wanted too.'

'Yeah...but while Hogwarts brought us good times, Helena only had grief and pressure here.' said Remus. 'I know how we feel out of our memories but we must do what's right. All Helena wants is to be happy and be normal.' he said. 'History is history. We should focus more on the present for her sake.'

'I guess you're right.' said Sirius with a sigh. 'We better go school-hunting and find a school where the Girl-Who-Lived does not exist. She'll be happy there and have a normal, happy school life we also had. Teenagers should have fun. Make good friends. Fall in and out of love till you hit the jackpot. We got serious hunting to do Moony.'

From afar, Dobby was watching.

xxx

'So that's what you overheard...' Helena mused softly. 'They'll find me a new school after this eh? Sounds fun.' she closed her book shut to have lunch. She took to eating healthier meals that weren't so greasy and swimming in fat because she physically trained in her hideout too, not just learn magic. According to Ed and Al's book, an Alchemist must be very physically fit, strong and healthy, and know Martial Arts so their alchemical fighting ability is maximized to better potential. They even wrote down good, healthy diet, ways of training, and how to fight before they even got started on actually writing Alchemy in the book.

How this book got into Hogwarts is a mystery Helena would never know. But she was grateful to it and to the Elric Brothers.

She wasn't sure whether to believe them or not regarding their origins though. It must be Al who wrote the book, not Ed as Ed was against leaving notes behind. And she greatly benefited from it. Upon memorizing the book using an illegal memory potion that gave her access to Photographic Memory, she chucked the book to her Family Vault where she can never get it until she's 17 for safety and so the wrong people cannot get their hands on that information. That, and someday, she hoped to bring back Alchemy as an art...and she prayed to all Gods she knew that the Philosopher's Stone Flamel has isn't THAT Stone. And if he is TRULY an Alchemist, he should know that making gold is FORBIDDEN, yet his stone can make gold and the Elixir of Life Voldemort sought after...

Wait...

'Hey, Dobby...' Helena frowned. 'Once the Headmaster is gone, can you search his room for a red rock?' she asked him. 'I have a bad feeling about something.'

'Yes missy!'

'Be careful of his wards, security and snoopy Portraits.' It took three weeks for Dobby to do his job as the Headmaster is frequently called out for meetings lately. He came back with a small stone at December 18. It was obviously chipped off as Helena looked at it.

'This is it.' said Helena. 'But smaller than what I remember. I know he destroyed the stone in my First Year but he kept a bit of it.' she frowned. 'I guess there's temptation.' she took out a magnifying glass to look at it...and she dropped the stone in alarm.

'M-Miss?' Dobby gasped. 'Did Dobby do something wrong?'

'N-no...just...' Helena choked as she looked at the stone after shakily picking it up. 'Is this the only stone in his office Dobby? Did you search thoroughly?' Helena asked Dobby frantically, causing Dobby to look nervous by now.

'Yes miss. Dobby look everywhere.' said Dobby. Helena took a shaky breath.

'That bastard...those two damn SOBs...' Helena growled. 'They created a real Philosopher's Stone and used it for years!' she was furious and steaming mad. She used its power to will herself to the Gate and to Dobby's horror, she was gone. And Helena found herself in a white place before a white being. She knew she got here.

'Yo.' it greeted.

'You're the Truth, right?' Helena asked the Truth who grinned.

'Ohhh, finally, someone who figured it out.' said Truth with a grin. 'You got here using 'that', not out of Human Transmutation.' of course he would know.

'Yes, because I want to leave this in your care.' said Helena as she stepped forward to give him the stone. 'Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric...they wrote down a book about Alchemy that somehow got its way to my school.' she said. 'I studied and learned from it thus I know what they know...and I know what that thing is.' she said. 'Those two idiots really shouldn't have written about how to make a Philosopher's Stone.' she moaned. 'Someone before me read that book and created a stone _the size of a fist_...I just can't imagine how many people died to become a stone! Please keep it, the sooner its gone from my world the better!'

'I got only a tiny thing though.' said Truth as he looked at the stone. Helena explained about her First Year at Hogwarts and the aftermath of it. 'Ohh...well, there's temptation and it shows.' he said, holding the rock in a way for her to see. 'This is but a fragment of the stone you knew.'

'And where the fragments are, are up for debate.' Helena mused with a sigh, her shoulders drooping. 'What should I do? Such a thing...' she shook in horror at the notion of how many people killed to make a stone that big. Even children included, no doubt. And she used up some of those lives just to see Truth to get him to keep the stone and was guilt-wrecked about it and very remorseful. In a way, she became a killer and who knows who she killed just to get here.

'At any rate, I will accept this stone as your toll.' said Truth. 'For you already paid the price with your conscience as a human being. I will show you...the Truth.'

'Wait, the souls in there can be saved right?' Helena asked him. 'Y'know, go to Heaven?' she asked hopefully. 'At least they have that chance if Nicholas Flamel and the Headmaster actually destroyed most of it!' and that means damning the souls to non-existence to be destroyed by no doubt, going trigger-happy with Alchemy...until all souls are used up. How else did they live long?

'...who knows.' said Truth. 'Depending on their deeds is where the end road is.' the gate opened and when Helena heard doors slam open, she got startled and turned around to see darkness and a big eye.

Cue freak-out and she fainted, but shadowy hands took her into the gate anyway to jam alchemical knowledge in her head equivalent to the stone she paid.

'That was amusing.' Truth chuckled as the stone in his hands became a mass of souls that shot into different directions. 'But still, an unusual human. A human who understands that this Domain is beyond their scope as humans and her moral conscience truly understood in her unusual way. If I see you here again, I'm looking forward to see what you'll sacrifice.' that was because she came to him to get rid of the stone her Headmaster has using a bit of the Stone's power.

xxx

Helena woke up to find herself back in the Chamber of Secrets.

'Missy Lena!' Dobby cried as Helena knew she's back...but knowing more about Alchemy beyond the book in her Vault and beyond her studies. She shook her head.

'I-I'm alright Dobby.' said Helena with a sigh. 'Its just that I did something I'm very sorry for.' she said with a somber smile. 'After this year, I have a mission for you but that will wait until then.' she said. 'This lousy tournament comes first. Well, let's go shopping in London. I need more potions and new clothes. Stupid puberty.' Helena sighed. At least as she is now, nobody will recognize her.

Everyone knows she's a scrawny thing in oversized clothes after all. And she's using her Trust Fund money to buy herself health care and 'vanity maintenance' potions, and an illegal Memory Potion. As she is now, she is very, very healthy with her beauty as a young teenager finally showing. She also bought products from EZ Shopping Network that pretty much, took out almost 1/4 of her Trust Fund money which she somewhat got back(in fact, she got more than that) when she sold the Goblins the corpse of the Basilisk and the skin sheddings who were happy with a millennia old prize which means its very powerful. And she's spending money on a modest-sized, yet fashionable closet. She owned fashionable outfits for each season but nothing too expensive of course. She even had a few fighting outfits specially tailored for her that she herself designed to be flattering and convenient.

Christmas passed...she only left the Chamber in order to receive Christmas Presents from the only two people she cares for now. She also shopped for Birthday Presents for Dobby, and the remaining Marauders in her life, which she sent to them.

xxx

February came...the second task had to be adjusted a little so the Participants can see what's going on underwater. And Helena was pissed.

Sirius was underwater. She thought they'll use her ex-friends so she has no reason to come, enabling her to forfeit this round, but nooo. Damn old goat. And she was the center of attention more than Fleur who was glaring at her. Viktor Krum was looking away with an embarrassed blush while Cedric had no idea what to do. The younger girl was more shapely and stacked than his girlfriend! Even worse, she wore a semi-revealing swimsuit. Before, when they came to the tent, it used to be a 'revealing party minidress' complete with gothic accessories that made every boy drool. At the changing room? All she did was take off her shoes, accessories...and the skirt. The skirt turned out to be 'an accessory' to hide the true nature of her top which was a one-piece that somehow blended in with her skirt making it look like a deceptive dress.

'What're you looking at?' Helena did a double-take.

'That!' Fleur cried while pointing at Helena's chest. 'HOW?!'

'Oh, this? Healthy diet and one hell of an exercise if you want big boobs.' said Helena as she tied her hair in a high ponytail before securing it into a bun. Fleur looked incensed.

'I'm eating healthy everyday, drinking milk AND doing exercise!'

'...maybe you're not doing enough.' Helena shrugged. 'More effort then.' when the time came to go to the lake, Helena sighed as there were gigantic TVs present that showed what's it like underwater. There were four for each champion.

They dove underwater, with three people using Bubblehead while Krum turned himself into a human shark to get to their hostages. Upon getting there, she blasted a piece of rock to transfigure into a small sharp knife to cut the aquatic plants that bound him in place to his stone post while using said plants to wrap him to her back, mummified up to his neck in fetal position she set him in and plant vines strapped to her back to make a makeshift backpack so she can easily swim up, and fight off the local lake freaks that she froze in ice cubes with a wave of her wand that still has a transmutation circle. Her wand has four. A circle for the four elements of nature respectively. She finished third because of the packaging troubles. Fleur was last because she had the misfortune of being singled out by Grindylows and could not fight back until she got the chance to grab a spear a nearby captopr was holding and killed the one smothering her, and managed to kill the rest before rescuing her sister.

Then she disappeared with Sirius and Remus before anyone got the chance to talk to her. Its a known fact that she wanted to transfer schools and

xxx

'Man, I really don't like lake water.' Sirius complained as they were fresh out of the baths in two separate rooms in Hogwarts, before making a trip to the grounds. 'Its where our sewage goes, and they chucked us down there?! Fucking assholes...'

'Good thing you didn't snort or swallow anything down there.' Remus chuckled. 'It would be bad if you did.'

'That won't be good.' Helena chuckled. 'You'd be back in St. Mungo's again. Honestly, what are they thinking, making us swim down there...do these people not have concern about sanitation and hygiene at all?'

'Don't worry, the mermaids ensured that won't happen.' Remus reassured her. 'They keep cleaning the waters of their lake despite how it looks due to algae. Sirius will be fine.'

'That's good to hear.' said Helena in relief. 'So...did you two find me a good school where I can just be a normal schoolgirl?'

'Yes.' said Sirius. 'It's a bit far though. A school where the girl-who-lived does not exist. A total unknown. You'll live a happy normal life there.' he promised her.

'Really?!' Helena gasped hopefully. 'You mean it?!'

'Yes! Remus and I found such a school while we were out. You can have normal classes, normal teachers, normal peers...you can fully enjoy being a teenager to the fullest and be happy.' Sirius promised her. 'Its just upsetting that the school where we had happy memories when we were your age brought you nothing but pain and grief instead. This isn't what Lily and James would want...they would want you to enjoy life too. You can't spend your life worrying about survival and fighting to live forever. We got guardianship of you too.'

'Tell me this is a dream Siri.' Helena shook. 'You got me away from the Dursleys? I can stay with you and Moony from now on?'

'Yeah. You no longer have to go back to Petunia and her fat-ass of a husband. You're no longer their Cinderella.' Remus smiled. 'You're free and we can be family as your parents would have wanted if anything happened to them.'

'Ooh, I can teach you how to make prank items...' Sirius sighed wistfully in glee, earning him a whack from Remus.

'Padfoot, she should not get into detention the second she steps foot in that new school.' he chided. 'First impressions last and the plan is normal!'

'Fine, after six months in there then.' Sirius pouted.

'You're incorrigible.' said Helena wryly. She then had an idea and subtly fingered her wand in her pocket, and used magic to make snow above them fall on Sirius, causing him to gasp out, and for his 'family' to laugh at him.

xxx

Meanwhile...

Albus Dumbledore was searching his office frantically. 'Where is it? I could have sworn it was just here!'

His Philosopher's Stone was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Truth and Plans

After the Second Task, Helena was very happy. She can only wait for a few more months before leaving forever. But before that, she created magical versions of a radio network and microphones she lined all over Hogwarts, and she made sure the connections are clear and well-hidden and then she kept a microphone on herself, disguised as earrings. With a magic command, she can turn the earrings on so for now, its mostly on, enabling her to gain information outside around Hogwarts as long as she's quiet. Even Dobby knew not to talk when her earrings are on when she's eavesdropping since it works two ways as long as the earrings are turned on.

"I should have thought of this sooner." she thought with a sigh. "I, am a big idiot. Oh well, I'm human and all humans are idiots. Such is a fact of life." she thought wryly. But life won't be fun without some idiocy, chaos and hilarity once in a while. Absolute Perfection is utter bullshit. Whoever wanted to be perfect should be shot and die.

But since the trip to the Gate...she's been dreaming about her two 'indirect Masters'. The dreams are getting stronger.

She wondered if her dreams would stop if she went there. But what would she have to trade to get to their world? She has no idea and she's coming up with perfect trade material equivalent to her wish. Because she's taking her most beloved people along once she discusses it with them. Thus Dobby has his orders.

'Dobby said you wanted to talk to us?' Remus asked Helena. 'And where the heck are we?'

'Yeah, its snakes all over this place.' said Sirius as they looked around. 'And what's with that tasteless mug on the wall?' he asked, referring to Salazar Slytherin's Face on the wall.

'One: we're in the famous Chamber of Secrets.' said Helena to their surprise. 'The two of you used the other entrance in the forest because you two can't be seen walking into a girl's bathroom just to get here. That'll be Daily Prophet Headlines in a blink and Rita Skeeter is in Hogwarts, sniffing for news.' the two men sputtered awkwardly in embarrassment. 'As for said 'tasteless mug', that's Salazar Slytherin.'

'He's even arrogant enough to have a giant face on his wall.' Sirius shook his head. 'Bad enough with the snakey decorations as it is.'

'Well, his symbol is a snake and people a millennia ago aren't exactly tasteful in decorations.' Helena snorted. 'And as much as I want to change my living space, I can't because this place is a historical relic with strong ties to Slytherin and I'm respecting that. And who knows what Hogwarts will do to me if I messed up one of the Founders' special places.'

'I'm hearing stories since Skeeter's sniffing around for stories.' said Sirius. 'Particularly about your Second Year.'

'Yeah.' said Helena. 'One minute I'm a killer and after saving Ginny, I'm a hero again.' she spat irritably. 'See why I'm not happy here?' the two Marauders sighed rather tiredly. 'Oh yeah, I called you here for something. It's a really big decision on my part.'

'What is it Ellie?' Remus asked her. 'It's rare for you to say 'big decision'.'

'Yeah because this is big. Really big. But first, I'll do a demonstration.' said Helena as she took out a bucket beside her, and a chalk. She drew a transmutation circle on the floor, put the bucket in the center and placed her hands outside the circle. Then the water in the bucket changed into an ice statue of padfoot.

'W-wha?!'

'That my dear Marauders...is Alchemy.' said Helena. 'Its part of a reason for this talk. Did you two find my Christmas presents usable?'

'Yes, very much in fact.' said Sirius. 'Although I don't want to know how you got ahold of an illegal memory Potion.' he deadpanned.

'Well, you need to drink it soon.' said Helena. 'Because I want to share what I know about Alchemy after this talk, and you need that Photographic memory for this. That can wait after this talk.' she said. 'During my Boycott, I found a book about Alchemy written by Alphonse Elric in the Restricted Section of the Library in a bid to train on my own after almost everyone practically shunned me.' she said. 'I learned about the history of those two brothers, Alchemy Basics, Alchemy Rules and Regulations, and finally, Alchemy itself. However, those two brothers are not of this world. They're from a world where Alchemy is normal but not normal here which is why they kept knowing Alchemy a secret. But Alphonse could not resist writing a book that saved me this year.' she said.

'Then it also hit me.' she continued. 'What if I was not the only person who came across that book? Then came in my memories about my First Year in Hogwarts...Nicholas Flamel's Philosopher's Stone. The ultimate pinnacle of Alchemy according to the book. But here, Nicholas claims that the stone can make gold and the Elixir of Life. Had he been a TRUE Alchemist, he would know that Making Gold is forbidden. But the Elixir of Life nagged at me.'

'Nagged at you? Why?' Remus questioned her.

'Because that, is impossible, unless Flamel really created a genuine Philosopher's Stone and thought himself above the rules.' Helena grunted. 'I know Dumbledore told me that he and Flamel had a chat and destroyed it, but I wanted to be double-sure. So I had Dobby search his office when he's out for a red rock. And he gave me a small red rock when originally, its the size of a fist. Apparently. Dumbledore could not resist temptation and kept a fragment of it.' she grunted. 'So I studied the stone and to my horror, Flamel indeed, was the person before me to read the book.' she sighed. 'And he created a genuine Philosopher's Stone. And I got rid of it.'

'What's so bad about that stone though?' Remus asked her curiously.

'The Philosopher's Stone is the ultimate pinnacle of Alchemy and a powerful amplifier.' Helena told them. 'With it, you no longer need Transmutation Circles or Arrays for Alchemy. However, having to create a stone is a horrible crime in itself.' she said darkly. 'To create a Philosopher's Stone...you need a gigantic human transmutation circle drawn in a place where there's lots of people. And then upon activating that array...the souls of the people are sucked to the center of the array and mold together to become the stone.' Sirius and Remus' jaws dropped as they can picture a scenario in horror. 'And the more souls, the bigger the stone. And each use of the stone consumes a poor soul sacrificed even for the most mundane of alchemy. And the one Dumbledore hid in Hogwarts on Flamel's request is the size of a human fist..._how many people died for that_? I'm guessing they're mostly muggles and while Nicholas Flamel may have lived 600 years or so he claims, let's say that's true.' she said.

'Even in History Books, the dates indeed say he lived for 600 years.' she continued. 'He must have had regenerating and longevity potions for his claims until he found and read the book, because the book I have was dated 1945, the aftermath of World War II and Alphonse Elric stopped writing in an unknown date. Upon finding this book and wanting to be known as an Alchemist as even this world knows of the legend of a Philosopher's Stone, Flamel must have thought that the book is his key to fame to be finally able to present the stone to the magical community...and sacrificed a lot of muggles to create it, using the war itself as an excuse for the deaths no doubt. Most likely, Dumbledore may not know, otherwise there would be a second stone by now. Flamel must have hidden the book in the Restricted Section without telling anybody and I found it. I also studied Alchemy and I wish that Alphonse was not DUMB enough to write how to make a damn stone in the stupid book.' she sighed in exasperation.

'How I got rid of it? I used a bit of the stone's power...knowing I would damn other souls in order to meet The Truth.' and she looked genuinely remorseful about this. 'The Truth is a being who embodies equal trade and equivalent exchange. I gave him the stone in hopes its lost from this world forever. He then sent me home without taking something from me because the stone is sufficient toll and I only asked him to have it. Otherwise he'll take some body parts had you gone to see him without a stone. The other way to meet him is by ahem, playing God through Human Transmutation wherein he'll be angry with you and take off body parts from you as 'toll'.'

'And since meeting Truth...I've been having dreams about my Indirect Masters.' said Helena. 'The dreams are getting stronger and they're so real I might as well be there. I figured that because I know Alchemy and this world is not meant for Alchemy...I'm getting nagged to move to the world of Parallel Earth where Alchemy truly exists. I have to go there because if Alchemy is introduced to this world...there will be a great abuse of power. If I stayed here, I will be tempted to write books like Alphonse did. And I will indirectly sow chaos to this world. I don't want to be responsible for massive deaths post-mortem decades or centuries from now. That's why I intend on meeting Truth again after this year. I will sacrifice parts of myself to move to that world and we will start new lives there.'

'ABSOLUTELY NOT!' Sirius burst out from his seat. 'Sacrifice yourself?!'

'Not my body parts.' Helena chuckled. 'I will trade my magic powers as a witch. My memories and knowledge as a witch and some of my alchemical powers and knowledge as trade, after using my own body to get there. In short, I will be an ordinary human alchemist. I'll be just a muggle with alchemical prowess and knowledge.' she smiled. 'A life for a life, no? A safe, yet fair trade. As additional measure, the two of you are forbidden to teach me magic because its a price I must pay. The laws of the world wants me to move to the world of my indirect mentors to keep Alchemy away from this world if the dreams were any hint. Oh, I swear on my magic that I have spoken the truth. So mote it be.' she activated the Oath, and cast Wingardium Leviosa on herself as proof she still has her magic.

'Well...shit.' Remus choked out as he fell weak in his seat. 'Its for real.'

'Yeah. For real.' said Helena. 'Looks like no magic school for me so I hope you did NOT enroll me yet...'

'Not yet. You have to finish this year first you know.' said Sirius. 'And we have to move fast. Our family fortune for instance. We can't leave it here.'

'Yeah. We need money to get by in the next world.' said Helena. 'And we can't let the Ministry have it. We will leave as soon as we get the money. To hell with the Tournament.'

xxx

Up there...the Truth was laughing.

'Ohoho! She's very bright, this one!' he cackled. 'And very clever to bypass my usual tolls. I like her already! Heeheehee!' he shook his head in amusement. 'Although by doing this, she unwittingly created a stable time and parallel worlds loop and all because a parallel Alphonse Elric wrote a book and left it in Earth. Oh boy.' he scratched his head. 'I better find a way to end the loop by sending her and those two to the right parallel brothers is for it to end there. Ah...this is why I took your body as punishment until you and your brother found the right answers...Alphonse Elric. Not that I'd tell you that.'

'Why must humans learn wisdom after suffering pure hell and learning humility first, I wonder?'

xxx

The Marauders plotted with Helena to pull off their act of disappearance from Earth forever. And Helena is very honest with Dobby about her plans because she would leave her only friend left in this world. She paid the goblins a sum to build Dobby an estate somewhere in the Forbidden Forest big enough for twenty elves, fully furnished for him and his future family to live there as a gift, and Hogwarts will be their employment source for the family to live long through Symbiosis Magic as a gift to the heartbroken House Elf who was sad that she has to leave to keep away a dangerous power from this world. She also left Hedwig in his care as she might die on their otherworldly trip. Helena also created Books of Alchemy by transmuting hardbound covers, paper and ink. She had knowledge on many forms of Alchemy, that she 'wrote' a lot of books, which she put in her Trunk.

And upon getting their whole fortune by pulling strings off...Helena had drawn the Grand Arcanum, and some circles on herself.

'This is it, Helena.' said Remus with a gulp as they stood at the center of the Arcanum in the Chamber of Secrets.

'Yeah...we're going to meet Truth.' said Helena. 'Dobby, when we're gone...erase the Arcanum OK? The last thing I want is Dumbledore finding out about this.'

'Yes missy Lena.' Dobby sniffled. 'Farewell!' and they were gone when Helena used the array _on herself_.

xxx

In a white place where Truth is...

'Hooo...I was expecting you, Helena Potter.' Sirius and Remus saw Truth. He appeared in Helena's shape but his features are white.

'I know you're the one sending me those dreams.' said Helena. 'Because Alchemy must NOT belong in the world we originated from. Even I foresaw chaos if I was tempted like Alphonse to write Alchemy Books. I saw a future nightmare.' she shuddered. 'A world with magic and advanced technology with Alchemy? Dear lord.' she shook her head. 'I want to go to where my indirect masters are. I will give up my magic, my knowledge, my life and my memories as a witch, as well as some of my alchemical powers in order to become just a human alchemist as my family's passport to that world. I will also fork over more of my power to cure Remus of his Lycanthropy-' Remus' jaws dropped. 'Because Werewolves don't exist there and it really shouldn't. Central will keep him as a lab rat for sure and last I checked, we all wanted freedom to live a happy life as a family.'

'That IS a fair trade but I see a problem in that.' said Truth. 'With all you're giving up, only you can go...because Sirius Black and Remus Lupin possess something that really should not belong in that world. Magic and their knowledge of magic. If they're giving it up like you did, they can come. If not, sorry, no deal!' the two men exchanged looks while Helena looked horrified.

'Huh?! You mean my deal is not enough?!' Helena choked out.

'As you pointed it out so, Werewolves do not exist.' said Truth. 'That means no magic, either. Sooo what would they say and do, hmmmm?'

'Give up magic in return for being Alchemists...in a way, its also magic.' said Remus.

'That's where things are different.' said Helena. 'Alchemy uses Equivalent Exchange and Law of Mass Conservation as well as rules of nature itself. Like what I did with that bucket of water to show you. Not even I can make a giant icy copy of Hogwarts castle with a small bucket of water. I can only make a copy equal to the amount of water so it'll be a small castle. Otherwise I'll suffer a nasty Rebound. Its not magic yet somewhat close and yet not-so-close. Magic on the other hand, breaks a hundred rules faster than McGonagall can say 'Detention' because we use animals as transfiguration material in her lessons...and how can animal body parts and plants create liquid magic without having to worry about Equivalent Exchange and Mass Conservation. So its tricky and a big hard lesson altogether or be punished by Rebound.'

'That's pretty much it.' said Truth. 'I will be taking your magic as your 'passport' in return for Alchemy as Helena paid for all three of you coming. Sooo what it'll be?'

'Magic and yet not magic...sure, why not?' said Sirius with a grin. 'Alchemy sounds fun!'

'If I'll be cured of my lycanthropy, enabling me to marry and have a family of my own someday I'll do it.' said Remus.

'Very well...' said Truth as he opened the gate behind them and they saw a giant eye.

'Yikes!' Remus choked out as shadowy hands grabbed them and yanked them in.

'H-hey!' Helena cried as she was not the only one yanked in. 'Come back!'

'Helena!' Sirius cried as the two men are gone. Helena quickly looked at Truth for answers.

'You already went in there, so you can't go in there a second time.' said Truth. 'You learned about Alchemy that you don't know of by going through that gate. They will learn Alchemy equivalent to their strength as wizards shown in their magical powers. Once they're done, you'll find yourself in Resembool...where it all began for those two idiots.' he said. 'As for your luggage, I have no use for that.' he eyed their luggage. 'Gold exists but it'll be interesting to explain that when selling it for money.' he chuckled, knowing of their money's...unusual appearance.

'Er...can I break a rule by transmuting our family fortune into metal bars for sale?' Helena choked out.

'Why not? Its already gold, silver and bronze.' Truth snorted. 'Its only a crime if you _created_ gold. Transmuting to change its shape is another story that's not against the rules. Its also not taboo. Alchemists only made that a law so nobody can cheat their way to instant wealth.' Helena sighed in relief. 'Well, time's up. Just don't do stupid things I'll take body parts off for...'

xxx

Resembool...they woke up there.

'Helena!' Sirius cried as she found herself glomped by her godfather. 'I thought we ended up elsewhere!'

'We also know the truth about that Gate.' Remus shuddered. 'No wonder you're not taken with us. You already went through it to learn.'

'Well, we're a family of Alchemists now!' Helena grinned. 'And alchemy is normal here! But first...we have to exist.' she took out the necessary papers. 'Truth helped us out so to everyone, our home town is Resembool! We just have to sneak these in after memorizing this!'


	4. Chapter 4

Timeline: A week after the Elrics left for Reole and then a year after...around FMAB EP 20

* * *

Start of the Journey

In Resembool, it was magic.

Everyone treated them like neighbors they've known all their lives, another thing the dysfunctional family owed to Truth. In fact, when they built their house after buying enough building materials using Alchemy, as well as building electricity and water systems, everyone instantly knew they lived there. They just bought furniture and that, is it. The magic ended after they built their house right near the local school which is also close to town where the shops and train station are. They built a home for three people, and Helena built a garden using Plant Alchemy.

They have one issue they must deal with.

'You two, you have to learn martial arts.' Helena told them. 'All Alchemists know Martial Arts here and combined with Alchemy, they call it Combat Pragmatism; anything goes. I know how to fight with fists but you two are another matter entirely. We'll have to ask Granny Pinako where to find the Master of the Elrics, Izumi Curtis.'

'Do we really need to?' Sirius whined.

'You have to.' Helena said wryly. 'Or you'll die within a year if we traveled together. My task is to watch over those two idiots, so I'm leaving you with their Master. She'll train you well if she managed to make a twelve year old pass the State Exam and become a State Alchemist at just 12.' she said.

'Then what will you do in the meantime?' Remus asked her curiously.

'I need to join the Military State Alchemist Program as an excuse to travel freely as an Alchemist.' Helena told them. 'Because if I travel the way I am now, I'll be investigated for sure and dragged to Central by force. Not exactly a good record so I'll spray perfume to my name by joining on my own free will. That way, as long as I do my job they won't give a damn where I go.'

'Oh man...' Sirius moaned. 'So most likely after training under this Curtis lady, we have to join too?'

'Yup.'

'Helena knows how this world works, Sirius.' said Remus. 'If its how it works here then we have to play along. It must be their way of controlling the knowledge of Alchemy and because of our level, the best are in and they intend on keeping it that way.'

xxx

A week later, in Central City...

Helena was one of those who entered the State Alchemist exams. And the thing is, she is the only child in there at age 14. To hide the fact that she can do the 'clapping trick', she wore a pair of gloves that has a thick circle plating and on her left hand, is a circle for Wind Alchemy and on the right hand is a circle for Water Alchemy. Her choker with a locket accessory has a circle for Fire Alchemy inside it.

'Oho? A teenager among adults again.' Helena looked up to see a young woman. 'The last teenager was a bit...younger.'

'A bit younger?' Helena asked the young woman despite knowing the answer.

'Yes. He's known as Fullmetal.' said the woman. 'I'm Riza Hawkeye. 'You are?'

'Helena Potter.' said Helena. 'I'm from Resembool.'

'Resembool eh? That's also where Fullmetal came from.' said Riza in fond reminiscing. 'I hope you do well. We seriously need more women in here.' she complained playfully.

'I get what you mean, almost everyone here is a guy.' Helena glanced around at her...competitors. 'Even these fellows taking the exams, its nuts. Women should see how fun alchemy is.' Helena pouted. 'Convenient in life too. Do they think they'll be chucked to front lines or something just for simply being an Alchemist?' she drawled sarcastically, purposefully playing oblivious to Riza's shudder. She was no Alchemist but she still went to the Front. 'There's lots of ways to do the damn job.'

'If only everyone thought like you did.' Riza sighed. 'Ma, be looking forward to having another girl in...' and she walked away. She went back to Roy's Office.

'Any promising numbers in that group?' Roy asked Riza hopefully. 'Its been three years since Fullmetal.'

'Yes. There's a girl around Edward's age in this year's batch.' said Riza to Roy's interest. 'She also came from Resembool which was interesting. Her name is Helena Potter. She also has a positive yet sarcastic view on life when we talked. She genuinely wants to help using Alchemy. When she wondered why there's barely women around, she thought they're scared they'll be sent to the Front simply for being an Alchemist when there's lots of ways to do the job.'

'Well, she'll soon see hell.' Roy sighed. 'Optimism never lasts long here.'

'I hope not. She's a really nice girl.' said Riza sadly. 'The type of Alchemist who goes by 'Be Thou for the People'.'

'That had better not become 'be thou for military'.' Roy said wryly.

xxx

At the exams...

Helena finished fast. In that three hour exam where she sat by the front just to prove she's not cheating, she finished the 1000 item exam in half the time. One glance is all she needed to read the question and write the answer down. Then she has to wait for another day to be called if she passed or not.

Helena did not doubt that she'll pass. Her, fail that test? Hah!

She had no idea how much commotion she's made in her paper test alone in Central. She scored perfect like HE did. Thus there's a lot of expectations on her now...and when her Practical Exams came, she performed splendidly well using Wind Alchemy and combining with Water, she froze the room and turned it into Winter Wonderland.

Splendid Performance...although she was politely asked to clean up her mess. She melted and evaporated the water into vapor and let it out the window, She earned the title Frost Alchemist thus.

xxx

As Frost, Helena is mostly active in dry places that looks like its in need of a good soaking, and looking for water veins to bring up to the surface and create lakes and rivers...unintentionally washing off Crests of Blood in Reole and Pendleton. Granted, she did notice the blood when she performed Water Alchemy and anything liquid is water territory. She figured its from past conflicts and wars. Thinking it'll taint the water sources, she drew the blood out...and since this much blood has so much iron, she could make a number of iron swords(fancy looking ones for better pricing) to sell for extra cash which she sold. Then she helped out in Aquroya by causing the earth under the city to rise, be dry and rock hard. She raised the whole city by ten meters, but she has to fix the harbor to make it look even. The Mayor was thankful as otherwise, everyone would be forced to leave their city and they had no idea where to go.

'Man, I should take a vacation...' she sighed wearily while riding a train for her next destination, Dublith. She wanted to check how Sirius and Remus are doing. So that was her next destination. She visited the home of Izumi Curtis but...

'Oh, those two?' Izumi asked them. 'Those two are quite~ the piece of work.' she rolled her eyes. 'They know NOTHING as a human being at all!' she yelled at Helena with an angry bighead, 'Edward and Alphonse managed to create fire using friction and flammable dry wood and make shelter using a mix of leaves and wood at age 12 yet those two...all they know is how to drink water and since they can't make fire to cook, they ate raw meat! They contracted a bad case of bacteria and are in hospital!'

'EHHHH?!'

'They should be out soon.' Izumi grumbled. 'For now, its sufficient that they learn hardships of life. And despite their...lacking, they're close to discovering the primary rule of Alchemists.'

'The one is all, all is one, right?' Helena chuckled as Izumi sighed.

'Children are future indeed.' she said sardonically. 'If kids can figure this out so early and adults today can't, dear lord.' she shook her head. 'Once they're out, I'll pound more hardship until my husband and I made a man out of two spineless wimps!'

xxx

'Oh dear...it can't be helped...those two are raised in cotton wool...that's as far as I know as my memories of that place are gone.' Helena sighed. 'Their upbringing is to blame if they can't even make fire by heat and friction.' she knocked on their hospital door. 'Siri? Moony? It's me.'

'Ellie!' Helena went inside the hospital room.

'I came to visit the Curtis' but...she's definitely not happy with the two of you.' Helena chuckled as she brought in food.

'You can say that again.' said Sirius as the two Marauders shivered. 'She's scary! I've never met a scarier woman in my life!'

'Maa maa, do you two know how to make fire from scratch yet?' Helena asked them. 'She'll chuck you back to the island until you learn what its like to be a primitive human first as primitive humans are somehow, the first-ever alchemists long before they learned of transmutation circles and arrays.'

'No we don't...' Remus sighed rather defeatedly.

'Good grief...don't tell her I told you how to make fire or she'll tear into me too. But fire is all I'll have to help you out in as you must learn survival skills first.' said Helena. After learning how to make fire, use your creativity as Marauders. Then you'll pass her test and figure out what she wants you to learn and figure out on your own. All Alchemists went through this. Even I did this training in the Forest I can't remember anymore since coming here.'

xxx

'Its almost time to submit my yearly assessment.' Helena mused. 'I'm also near South City so might as well go there.' she phoned Roy where she is.

However...

/Potter, I've sent a messenger for you in South City with information. You'll be there to give your Yearly Assessment, right?/

'Yeah...something going on, Mustang?' Helena asked him curiously.

/Something's going on among the higher echelons./ said Mustang apprehensively. /The fact that you're my subordinate is not yet military public and we managed to hide that somehow. Meet up with Fullmetal. I had someone inform him you're coming. Find him and stay with him no matter what. I need you two and Alphonse as runaway agents. Geddit?/ Helena narrowed her eyes. Its around this time that the stink of Central is starting to smell outside its premises.

'Fullmetal will explain...right?'

/At this moment, he knows more than I do./ came the wry retort. /Go!/ and Helena went to South City after telling the Marauders that she has new orders and has to run off.

xxx

South City, nightfall...

'That, was close...sheez...' Helena managed to submit her yearly assessment. 'Had I been a day later, my license will get suspended.' she swore as she went to get out when a young man approached her.

'Frost, you have new orders.' said the man before saluting and gave her the folder before leaving. And since it was Roy, and given his urgency, she left South City to read it safely on a train. She got wind that the higher echelons are acting strangely, and Fullmetal got himself under suspicion for uncovering part of it just by simply meeting a gang in Dublith. A guy who turned out to be a Homunculus with a gang of Chimeras, living a hedonistic life and the Fuhrer has a lot of interest in this case. And Fullmetal was seen there...and knowing the man.

So she would watch over Edward Elric from the shadows in the meantime and shadowed him since. Occasionally helping the brothers out by making 'lucky coincidences' by supplying needed things, while stunned with the new things going on. Three foreigners, Maes Hughes' death, a faked murder, and now...she helped assist in killing Lust by helping Roy repeatedly light the woman on fire.

'Glad to see you here Frost.' said Riza in relief as Roy collapsed from exhaustion. 'Colonel!' she gasped as Helena caught the man and quickly drew an Alkahestry circle with five kunai and placed him on it to heal him.

'W-what was that?' Alphonse asked Helena worriedly.

'Alkahestry, Medical Alchemy.' Helena grinned. 'We don't have supplies, the least I can do is pump his body with energy and heal his burns so he can run with us later! I can't do a thing about pierced parts though, I'm not that good of a doctor yet.'

'Oh...'

'I should also introduce myself...I am Frost Alchemist, Helena Potter.' said Helena.

'For someone who uses ice, you used Fire to help me kill Lust.' Roy pointed out. 'But you only have two circles, so _how_?' Helena grinned.

'You seriously _think_ I only had two?' Roy, Riza and Alphonse saw her open the accessory on her choker to reveal a picture locket of her and two men on the left half, and a circle on the right half. 'Ta-daaah!'

'Dang...you have a spare circle...no wonder.' Roy chuckled as he is able to get up. 'Owowowow...I'm sore...do something about this too!'

'Greedy!'

'I'm not a Homunculus!'

'Err can you fix me too?' Barry whined from where he is. His body is in bits and pieces, and his surviving true form is a small rectangular piece of metal.

'Your body is beyond fixing and we have NO equipment here you dimwit, so we'll find you a new body!' Helena snarked out. 'Hey, who is this guy anyway?' she asked the three people she was with.

'Oh, he is Barry the Chopper.' said Al. 'He's somewhat our ally.'

'Hooo? I'll take him with me to fix him. Then I'll deliver him to you guys later.' Helena took Barry's core bit. 'But first I'll fix this kid up.' she fixed Alphonse to his relief.

'Let's get outta here.' said Roy as they made themselves scarce.

xxx

In a high-class hotel somewhere...

'I can leave you here, right Al?' Helena asked Alphonse as they were in a hotel room shared by Al, Winry, Ling and Lan Fan.

'Yeah, I'll be fine with them, Miss Helena.' said Al. 'We're supposed to wait for nii-san here. So where are you going?'

'To a place where there's lots of iron to give Barry a body so he can aid the Colonel again.' said Helena with a grin. 'Free Iron in fact.'

'So you're going to a mine?' Ling asked her.

'...pretty much.' and Helena left after bidding them good-bye.

'A place with loads of Iron huh?' Barry asked from inside a jar Helena put him in.

'I can't buy Iron without raising a lot of eyebrows you know.' said Helena wryly. 'Moreover that will wipe out my account and I have to get a decent explanation to my superiors so yeah, we're going to a mine everybody ignored and I found one.' she grinned. 'It's near here too. Heeheehee. To Wellsley.'

'Er...there's no mine in Wellsley.' Barry pointed out.

'Just shuddup and watch!' Helena yelled at the rectangle piece that meeped.

xxx

Wellsley the next day...

'Alright, we're here.' said Helena. 'A place of free iron.' she said.

'I really want a good explanation.' Barry deadpanned.

'Right...now that we're both alone out here with no eavesdroppers, we can talk.' said Helena. 'I discovered places that are really great, but nasty sources of iron while I'm on my job helping out places with Water Problems.' she told him. 'I also discovered a lot of blood in some places I've been to...enough blood for an Alchemist to draw enough iron to fill an armory of swords and weapons soaked into the land where there's blood from the dead who died from past wars and stuff. I pretty much made money off it too when I'm running low. I'm not happy about it but I have to live and I have to do what I can to live.' she sighed. 'The two bloody places I've been to are Reole and Pendleton. And now we're drawing Iron here in Wellsley to make you a new body that will be sturdy and not blown to pieces so easily.'

'A body made out of blood huh? That sounds bad-ass.' said Barry. He liked the idea.

'Don't sound too happy, jeez!' Helena grumbled as she clapped her hands. She then fashioned a body with ball-joints, made of solid iron with a rather creepy, gothic appearance. The only hollow part is a box area on the torso where she put Barry's core and fastened to by molding his core to the wall area of the hollow box before sealing it in. And then there, a solid iron body. Slender in form yet very sturdy and strong.

'I like this body Helena!' Barry cried approvingly. 'It's so solid! So strong!' he cried in delight. 'I'm getting sick and tired of being cut to bits a lot in my old hollow body but with this, I got a pretty long life!'

'Just don't be dumb to be near fire.' said Helena wryly as she made a sturdy sword for him too with a long handle and a wide blade. She also drew a lot of iron bars from Wellsley. 'Now I'm going back to Central. You go find the Colonel will ya?'

'Sure! Things are loads fun with him!' Barry cackled. 'See ya missy!' and he ran off, happy with his new body. Helena went back to Central to reinforce Al's body with Iron and make him thicker because by repairing him constantly with no resource, his material is getting thinner and thinner at this rate, he'll be easily cut to bits. By nightfall...

She met the older brother.


	5. Chapter 5

Bloody Stars

'So Mustang asked you to join my group?' Edward Elric asked Helena.

'Yep.' said Helena. 'Since I'm a Wild Card as a newbie, nobody will focus much on me unless I did something big in public...' she said. 'Although I helped Mustang kill Lust earlier in the Laboratory but no witnesses, so I'm still under radar. He wants me to stay with you because the Military's starting to stink and he feels I'll be safer with you away from HQ. I'm officially his subordinate and that's not yet public knowledge. But by being away from there, they can't control me because they can't reach me as long as I'm with you two.' she explained.

'I see...then? What about Barry?' Edward asked her.

'Him? I fixed him in Wellsley, made him a solid iron body and a sturdy sword so he won't be easily broken.' said Helena. 'I also improved the thickness of Al's armor because by repairing him using iron bars I got from Wellsley, we compensate using his body itself thus thinning out the material and gets frailer. I also protected his blood seal by making a hollow box covering around it.'

'I see...but where did you get the Iron though?' Winry asked her curiously. 'You can't get Iron in Wellsley.'

'Places of conflicts.' said Helena as everyone in the room fell silent. 'My specialty is Water Alchemy and water solidifying processes. And the conflicts caused by wars causes blood to get soaked into the land. And because blood has iron...we Alchemists can draw iron literally from the ground by gathering iron molecules from the dried blood in the soil, and then compress and condense the molecules to create Iron. And in History, Wellsley is a place of conflict too long before we're born. That's where I got my free iron to fix Barry and got iron bars to reinforce Al. By now, Wellsley no longer has Iron so forget drawing there. Oh, Reole and Pendleton too.'

'I see...that's a pretty smart move.' said Ling. 'But a bit creepy.'

'Beggars can't be choosers in our situation now.' said Helena. 'So Ed, whenever you fix Al, take into consideration that without iron, you're compensating for lack of metal by thinning out his body to fix damages.' she took out a piece of paper and gave it to him. 'I crossed out Reole, Pendleton and Wellsley. The remaining places are a free Iron Source if you can't find a mine.'

'Let's see...' Edward took the paper. 'Riviere, Fisk, Cameron, Ishval, South City and Fotset. Right...thanks.' he then pocketed the paper. 'So Frost Alchemist huh?'

'Just my specialty. I can do more than Wind, Water and Ice you know.' Helena pouted. 'I passed this year's exams with a perfect score and impressed everyone in the Practical Exams!'

'You got 1000 just like Edward and Alphonse did?!' Winry squawked. 'What's with you kids and geniuses these days?!' Helena looked sheepish.

'Genius huh...?'

Ed and Al exchanged glances.

Its impossible to seriously ace a 1000-item exam even with all the studying they had in the world. But they passed the exam because..._they can never forget the Alchemy they learned_.

"No way..." Ed thought as he looked at Helena who was talking with Winry and Ling. "Did she...?"

xxx

'Al, just exactly...how does Helena use her Alchemy?' Edward asked his brother while in the privacy of their room.

'She has three circles.' said Alphonse. 'Two on her gloves and a hidden one in her locket accessory on her choker. But when she fixed me...s-she...' he swallowed. 'She transmuted my body without a circle. And the circles she has are elemental and did not glow at all when she fixes me.' he said. 'Don't tell me...'

'She's seen truth.' Edward swore. 'We're having a private chat. But before that, I'm talking to Mustang to be double sure.'

xxx

'Helena? Yeah...she does the instant clappy thing you do.' said Roy. 'Why?'

/Shit...so she's like us./ this froze Roy. He knew the story of the Elric Brothers which was why Al was in an armor, and why he made Ed his subordinate to protect them. /She must have seen 'that'. But we'll confirm by a blunt talk./

'Good luck with that, Fullmetal. Its not easy to pry a woman's lips open. They love their secrets.' said Roy as he heard a sigh on the other line.

/Got it./

xxx

'Heheh...I knew this is coming.' Helena smirked as she got confronted by the brothers. 'Yeah...I met Truth.'

'What did you give up...answer me!' Edward demanded.

'I gave up my old life.' said Helena. 'My memories of my origins. Because I'm not from here.' she said. 'My two uncles and I paid our past lives and an illness that does not belong in this world in order to live here. And because I used the Grand Arcanum and complicated arrays on my own body without sacrificing anything besides myself, we could see Truth. Paid our memories as toll and wham, we're here. Scott-free.'

'I don't call losing memories scott-free.' Edward grunted.

'Well...better than losing a limb or a body.' that hit a nerve to the two brothers. 'Truth is a generally nice guy as long as you don't commit taboo or cross the line in God's Domain. Human Transmutation crosses that very line. By crossing that line, he will take body parts as toll in the form of ironic punishments. You lost a leg from Truth while Al lost his whole body.'

'Did Mustang tell you?!' Edward demanded and grabbed her cloak and pulled her close to him. 'Only Mustang and Hawkeye knows!'

'No, they didn't tell me.' said Helena with a sad smile. 'I know because I learned Alchemy from the two of you.'

'That's impossible!' Edward spat out. 'We never taught anyone!'

'Go to Resembool.' said Helena. 'Go to my house, my family basement. In the center of that room, open a hole there. You'll understand when you see that book. You'll understand who, and what am I and my family.' she said cryptically. 'Masters.'

'M-Masters?! Us?!' Edward sputtered as Helena jumped off the roof using Wind Alchemy to go across another roof.

'Burn that when you're done with it!' she called out as she flew away.

'It's Resembool.' Edward swore as the brothers left with a growl. 'We're making a trip to Resembool! Scar can wait!'

xxx

'OK? We're going to your hometown for what?' Ling wondered as they were on a train for Resembool.

'About Helena.' said Al. 'She did the same thing we did...and she told us to find a certain thing in her house.' he told their companions.

'Something in her house?' Winry mused. 'What's going on, Ed?'

'This topic is not for public consumption.' said Ed seriously. 'We'll talk when we get there. I got the address from Mustang.' upon arriving to Resembool, they went to the Black Family Home. Its flowery gardens now sported weeds. They went inside the house.

'A newly constructed house...and I don't remember this place.' Edward muttered.

'What are you talking about Edward? The Blacks lived here for a long time now.' said Winry.

'If they did, why does this house look so new?' Ling asked her as he looked at the structure of the house. 'It doesn't give me a vibe of 'years old'.'

'Yes...the construction is very recent.' Lan Fan chipped in. 'If anyone lived here in this house for a long time, the house should at least start to wear down. But its fresh.'

'We'll get our answers in the basement.' said Al as they went to the basement, and Edward opened a hole using Alchemy. They found a rather worn-out book in a 'pouch' shaped out of concrete.

They soon found themselves reading something unbelievable and impossible.

The reason why Helena called the Elrics 'Her Masters'.

xxx

Central HQ

'Helena, I hear the brothers went to your house.' said Roy as Helena visited his office.

'Well, the wanted to know a few things.' Helena chuckled. 'They have seen 'it'...and know that I did as well. I told them where the answers are.'

'What did you lose?' Riza asked her apprehensively.

'...I paid my past.' said Helena. 'Because my past does not belong here. All I remember are the bare basics. My family, who they are, That's it. Our origins and knowledge of where we came from? Nada. Same for my two uncles. We came from far away...and to start anew, we paid our past because it does not belong here.'

'I see.'

'Its better than a body part.' Helena snorted. 'Truth only takes a body part if you piss him off. And you do that by 'playing God'. Otherwise, he's a nice fellow.' she said. 'Well, what'll you do about our latest news?'

'We take action and be cautious.' said Roy. 'Scar is after State Alchemists due to our actions in the Ishvalan War. I'd rather you not get involved...because you're not a sinner like us.' he said softly and remorsefully. 'He is vengeance incarnate. Since you have nothing to do with the war, go. Go to Resembool. Your task is unchanged.'

'If you say so Colonel. But I rather stay here.' said Helena with a chuckle. 'Two Alchemists is better than one. And in your command there's only three official and one unofficial alchemists. The others are ordinary soldiers. Might as well stay.'

xxx

Black Family House...

The teenagers...are in shock. They read the journals of an alternate Edward and Alphonse Elric, skipped over the alchemy to look for the pages of the Philosopher's Stone...

'This is unbelievable...' Edward choked as in the living room, all of them are silent. 'To create a Philosopher's Stone, you must sacrifice lives after making a gigantic transmutation circle that will kill any life in it, and the souls used for transmutation?!'

'The me that Helena-san knew in a parallel dimension knew...' Alphonse choked.

'I really don't fancy killing hundreds just to bring the Emperor a stone.' Ling shuddered. 'I'd rather bring an existing one and those Homunculi have it.' he said as Edward burned the book. 'I don't want to kill anybody if I can help it.'

'Looks like that's our only option.' Edward swore. 'We're going back to Central. Winry stay here. Things will get nasty.' he warned Winry. 'A lot nastier.'

'You're still after that stone even after knowing how it's made?!' Winry sputtered out in horror.

'Yeah.' said Edward. 'To restore our bodies and these two are in a Succession Crisis.' said Edward, glancing at the Xingese with them.

'Yeah. First we team up.' said Ling Yao with a grin. 'Then whoever lands the last blow gets the stone.'

'The four of you are crazy!' Winry yelled in exasperation.

'With huge stakes...we have to be crazy.' said Al. 'Don't worry, we'll be back. Alive.'

xxx

Central, hours later...

This, is what they found. Outside the city, Roy and Helena were doing Hit-and-Run tactics on Gluttony who somehow became one hell of a monster, shrieking Mustang's name in anger.

'HEY YOU GUYS! MAKE YOURSELVES USEFUL HERE!' Roy nagged them.

'MUSTANG!'

'Why is he pissed at YOU for?!' Edward sputtered out.

'I killed Lust, that's why! Moreover be careful!' Roy yelled. 'If he blasts you from that weird opening, you're a goner!'

'Actually I helped you kill her too, how come that's not public knowledge?' Helena wondered aloud.

'The hell I know but be thankful for that at least!' Roy yelled as they conjured fire together, but Gluttony just swallowed it.

'You damn freak! DIE already!' Helena shrieked as she clapped and slammed her palms on the soil to create stalagmites that would stab Gluttony in many places and kept on going. 'Keep attacking him until his 'lives' run out! He has a Philosopher's Stone...unless he runs out of lives, he can't die!'

'Awww man...we really can't get one.' Ling pouted as he threw bomb after bomb at Gluttony's stomach.

'Some other Homunculus then!' Edward snarked as they attacked nonstop but Gluttony's got the last laugh.

He blasted them, to Lan Fan's horror.

'NOOOO!'

She was the next to come.

'Uh-oh...Father's gonna be mad...' Gluttony choked out his whimper. 'We're not allowed to kill the Elrics...'

'YOU DAMN IDIOT!' Envy yelled when he heard that as he came.

xxx

Inside...

'WHERE THE FUCK ARE WE?!' Edward Elric yelled angrily as everywhere is a sea of blood, corpse, trees, and even fire which showed them what kind of place are they in exactly.

'This is horrible...' Lan Fan choked in horror as she looked fearfully around them. All of them are knee-deep in blood and whatever Gluttony ate.

'Gluttony's stomach, most likely...the trees, some soil, and even the Colonel's fire are here.' said Helena before she paused. 'Waaait...blood? A _sea of blood_?' her eyes widened before she smirked. 'Thank YOU Gluttony! We can get outta here!' she cried, clapping her hands

'And how?!' Roy choked out. 'There's no way out of here! It's a vast sea of darkness and blood!'

'Yeah, how will you get us out of here?' Edward asked her incredulously.

'There's two ways to create a Philosopher's Stone.' Helena spoke up as everyone fell silent. 'The information you read in the book in my house. I DO hope you burned that book...'

'We did.' said Edward flatly. 'What's the second?'

'A sea of blood.' said Helena. 'And then by creating a 3D Transmutation Circle of Human Transmutation Formula, we can create a variation of Philosopher's Stone called the Sanguine Star. Its less powerful but powerful enough to get us out of here. It will be our passport to Truth, so we can get out of Gluttony's Stomach without losing a few body parts. I'll make enough for all of us because one stone per person.'

'Can't you make spares due to circumstances?!' the brothers and the Xingese whined. Ed wanted Al's body and his limbs back. Ling wanted to save his clan of 500 thousand people by bringing home a stone. Roy sighed. These people, honestly...

'Depends, so quit whining! I'll do my best, OK?!' Helena hollered at them.

'But how do you know of this, Helena-san?' Alphonse asked her. 'How do you know how to make a Philosopher's Stone?'

'Well...I told you, I traded my past in order to exist in Amestris, right?' Helena told them. 'That's 14 years' worth of memories. And I also gave up something powerful I used to possess but I don't have a memory of it now. That's why I saw further and learned more from the gate. One of the things I learned is the manufacture of the Stones. Now let's find nice smooth pieces of debris we can use to write four circles. Three circles in a triangle position surrounding a larger circle. I'll do the rest.'

Once everything's done with Edward doing most of the work as he is the one drawing the Human Transmutation Circles because Helena needed all she has to manufacture their passport tickets. She gathered the blood all over Gluttony's stomach and it was one massive tidal wave of blood that she divided into six...and created six stones the size of medicine balls.

'All that blood and yet...the stones can only be this big?' Ling croaked as they each took their stones in disbelief.

'Well I divided the blood into six for each of us. If I made only one, it'll be the size of a child's toy ball.' Helena told him.

'So near yet so far...huh, niisan?' Alphonse sighed gloomily.

'Yeah...we're so close.' said Edward sadly. 'But we'll find another way and another stone soon.'

'Right...'

'Don't be sad you kids.' Roy chided. 'There's always a way out in everything. Someday, for sure.'

'Yeah. Just don't abuse the knowledge I taught you because this is nasty business.' said Helena. 'We're lucky for the blood in Gluttony's body or we'll be stuck here forever. Let's count our blessings and be happy with it!' and they used the power of the Sanguine Stars to go see Truth. Again.

'Ohhh! Long time no see Elric Brothers, Helena!' Truth greeted as Roy, Ling and Lan can only stare at the...being before them. But...

To Alphonse, Truth is wearing his body.

To Ed, Truth is wearing his right arm and left leg.

To Helena, his figure is hers but still a white outline.

To Roy, Ling and Lan, a child-shaped white figure with a creepy grin.

'Hello again, Truth...and we're in a real pinch right now.' Helena sighed.

'Haha, that fake, botched attempt at making a Gate ate you eh?' Truth chuckled.

'A fake?' Edward raised an eyebrow.

'Yeah. Gluttony is a Homunculus who is a botched attempt to open my Gate.' said Truth. 'Because the one responsible wants to obtain the power of God by consuming the Gate's Knowledge.' he explained. 'Ooh I'll make that wannabe pay later but enough talk.' he said. 'Your Sanguine Stars in exchange for freedom, right? Equal Trade as Gluttony's stomach is somewhat a crevice. So near yet so far to this gate.'

'M-My body is still alive, right?' Alphonse whimpered as only he could see it. His twelve-year-old body very thin and emaciated, with long hair, fingernails and toenails. Ed could see his arm and leg in the same state and could only imagine how his brother feels.

'Its alive because time passes very slow here.' said Truth. 'However, there is a bond between your body and your soul which is what keeps it alive. And it takes energy from Edward to stay alive.'

'So my theory is right.' Edward muttered. 'I believed in that, that's why I'm eating and sleeping a lot when I can. I knew of this. I don't know how but I knew,' Alphonse looked at his brother with a gasp. Why didn't he tell him?!

'Heh, think of it as my consideration because you'll be back someday.' said Truth. 'Just don't do anything stupid like last time!' he opened his Gate as he took their Sanguine Stars.

'To Resembool please!' came Helena's call as she, and the Elric brothers disappeared while Roy, Ling and Lan went through the Gate.

However, it wasn't Resembool...


	6. Chapter 6

Father

It wasn't Resembool...

It was a weird place underground. The Gate materialized and spat out in order: Roy, Ling, Lan, Ed, Al and Helena. And they were a human heap on top of each other, causing a cacophony of, 'You're heavy!' 'Get off me!' 'I'm gonna die!' 'You guys are so rude, get off a lady!' 'Al you're heavy, get off!' 'Waaah! I'm sorry!' Al got off them, enabling the others to breathe easy.

'Man...where the heck are we, again?' Edward grumbled. 'I've had enough of these types of travels!'

'You can say that again.' Roy sighed, nursing his headache. 'I didn't sign up for this when I joined the Military.'

'Who's there?' a man's voice called out, causing them great alarm. They braced themselves until they saw a middle-aged old man dressed in white robes.

However...

'D-dad?' Alphonse choked out.

'Hohenheim?' Edward gasped out.

'Nanda, you people meet in odd places.' Helena blinked owlishly. 'Is it a family thing?' she asked Edward while the Xingese with them fell silent...and highly on guard because only they could sense something wrong in the newcomer. Homunculi are one thing but this person...is on another whole new level.

'Hell if I know!' Edward yelled at her.

'Your dad who left home when you're kids huh? This is gonna be awkward...' Roy sweatdropped. 'I think we better make ourselves scarce from this unusual family reunion...explosive in fact.'

'I don't consider that damn bastard family at all!' Edward snarled at him while pointing at 'Hohenheim'. 'He left us when we were toddlers, he didn't come back when mom fell ill and he didn't even show up for mom's funeral! And he's here?!'

'...uhhh I think you're mistaking me for someone else...' said the man wryly as he approached them. 'Hohenheim...ahhh! Van Hohenheim!' he exclaimed as he remembered. 'It's been a long while since I last saw him! And I resemble him if you're yelling at me though I'm not him...'

'Huh?' was all Edward could say as the look-alike looked at them closer.

'Your relationship with him...father eh?' the man mused thoughtfully. 'What a surprise!' he exclaimed as he grabbed Edward's head in inspection. 'I never expected he'd have kids!' he laughed boisterously while patting Edward's head while Alphonse gulped.

'Uh-oh...' Roy sweatdropped. 'Fullmetal's gonna blow...'

'Nande?' Helena asked him.

'He hates anything related to referencing to his...lack of height.' Roy coughed. 'That includes patting the head.'

'But aren't your last names Elric?' the man asked them curiously as Edward swatted his hands away.

'It's our mom's last name!' Edward griped. 'You expect us to use HIS name after all he did?!'

'N-niisan...' Alphonse sighed. Edward never forgave their father...

'Edward, living with hate isn't good you know.' Helena gently chided. 'Yeah, the man left you, so what? It makes you the man of the house now and you're the older brother here for Al. Shouldn't you focus on living for your remaining family than living in hate forever? I think you should focus on yourselves and your future.'

'I'm doing that already!' Edward snapped. 'We're still a long way to go for the Philosopher's Stone to get Al's body back!' the man's expression changed at this.

'Philosopher's Stone...eh?' he smirked as he had a third eye open on his forehead. 'You mean...this?' the eye started bleeding a substance, much to freak-out.

'The stone! Young master, he has one!' Lan Fan exclaimed.

'Sorry Ed, but the future of my clan rests on my shoulders!' Ling cried as he lunged to attack father with Lan backing him. 'It's mine!'

'Hey?!' Edward made a lunge for the stone too, but one hand...stopped both of them and threw them backwards. 'AAAHHH!'

'Niisan!' Alphonse yelped in horror.

'Ed! Ling! Lan Fan!' Roy cried as the three were violently thrown backwards.

'You just lunged at a person who has a frigging Philosopher's Stone, are you three IDIOTS?!' Helena yelled with a comical bighead. 'He has no need for circles and can use Alchemy faster in a blink!'

'Honestly...children these days.' the man sighed. 'So excitable. But its interesting that all of you came from a Gate...' he mused thoughtfully in his dark expression. 'Six of you in fact. You have seen Truth.'

'W-what of it?' Roy snarked while shielding Helena.

'I will let you live...but you're one too many.' said the man as he used Alchemy to grab Ling.

'Master!' Lan Fan cried as she used Alchemy to bring back Ling, but she got blindsided by something else. Envy, who kicked her. 'Gah!'

'Lan Fan!' Ling cried while Ed, Al, Roy and Helena made moves to get Ling back, but the man did something that caused quite a shockwave...and when it was done, they moved to get Ling back, but...

'Huh?' Roy choked as they looked at their hands. They tried to gather energy but...

'What's going on?' Helena choked out. 'We can't use Alchemy?'

'What did you do?!' Edward yelled angrily as he drew his gun to shoot, an act followed by Roy, but Envy became a giant...green thing to subdue all of them. He stomped on the brothers and Lan, and got Roy and Helena all wrapped up.

'Do take care Envy...they are my Sacrifices.' said Father as he approached Ling. 'This one on the other hand...will be my new pawn.'

'Hooo? So you're gonna do it?'

'What's he gonna do?' Edward demanded.

'He's creating a Homunculus.' said Envy. 'A Homunculus with a human base after injecting them with the stone. The human doesn't survive though...and the Homunculus usually takes over after killing the original! Heeheehee!'

'STOP THIS! NOOO!' Lan Fan was starting to get hysterical.

'Ling! You have to fight!' Edward yelled. 'You have people waiting for you at home!'

'I think I'll be fine, don't worry about me!' Ling yelled. 'This guy...he'll give me a stone just like this...it's OK with me! I came to this country for a Philosopher's Stone and he's giving me one! I'm not passing this up!'

'Hooo? That's interesting. Then take it.' said Father as he injected the stone into Ling...and he started to convulse painfully and he screamed in pain.

'LING/MASTER!' the Alchemists cried as in a few moments...Ling went still.

'M-Master?' Lan choked as Ling stretched himself and made his bones crick.

'Huh? Oh, you mean the guy who owned this body?' the voice was different. It was no longer Ling Yao. Even moreso by his arrogant disposition. 'Sorry but this body belongs to me, Greed!' on his left hand, is an Ouroboros tattoo. Lan Fan shrieked in dismay and grief.

'Well...shit.' Roy swore as Lan Fan wept bitterly. 'He's gone.'

'You're...that Greed?' Edward blinked, remembering the Greed he met in Dublith. Greed walked towards him and squatted down.

'Huh? 'that' Greed?' Greed blinked.

'B-but we met in Dublith...' Alphonse stammered out.

'Sorry but I never met you guys.' said Greed flatly.

'They meant your previous incarnation.' said the man.

'Oh...now I geddit.' Greed scratched his head. 'Sorry but I ain't that Greed.'

'What happened to Ling?' Roy asked him and Greed stood up.

'He's an interesting brat.' Greed chuckled in amusement. 'He accepted me in a matter of seconds.'

'No way!' Edward blurted. 'There's no way Ling can be that weak! He's strong! He's not easily controlled!' he burst out in denial when the door opened to reveal a Chimera...that died afterwards. And then there's Scar.

'Double shit!' Roy exclaimed in horror as Scar is here...and they can't do Alchemy! He even came with a little girl.

'We...are so screwed.' Helena swallowed as the girl said something to Scar.

All hell broke loose indeed...but at least, they managed to get free.

'Alright, if they can use Alchemy, so can we!' Roy cried in delight as they clapped their hands, but...

'Still nothing!' Helena wailed as they looked at Scar and the little girl he's with who was angrily attacking Edward. 'Moreover what did Fullmetal do to that squirt?'

'Hell if I know!'

'At any rate...we better get out of here and fast.' said Helena as she...could use Alchemy to Roy's shock.

'How?!' Roy gasped out. 'You can but we can't?!'

'I'll explain later! But right now we're out of our league!' with Ice Alchemy, she froze Envy and Greed. 'RUN!'

'But what about Ling?!' Edward yelled as they ran out.

'We'll think of that when we get out of here, we're no match right now so don't be an idiot and run!'

'I-I'll stay here!' Lan Fan choked, but that got her trapped in ice, and carried away by Roy. 'Let me goo!'

'No can do!'

'What's going on here?!' the little girl demanded, but they're surrounded by Chimera.

'Shit...only Helena, Scar and the kid can use alchemy but the rest of us are rendered useless...' Roy swore at their situation.

'What?! Helena can use Alchemy? How?!' Alphonse cried as Helena caused the Chimera to lose their fluids by desiccating them to death so they can run.

'I'll tell you later but we need our secrets and trump cards right now!' Helena yelled as soon, they safely got away but they still kept running. Roy stole a truck where they ran away to, and he drove away.

'That, was close.' Helena sighed.

'B-but what about Ling...?' Alphonse whimpered.

'We just left Master there!' Lan Fan sobbed. 'How can I explain this to grandfather and to the Yao Clan?!'

'It's Ling's responsibility, not yours.' Helena told her. 'For some reason, that man spared us but chose Ling, and injected him a Philosopher's Stone...to become a homunculus named Greed. He's not Ling anymore.'

'You mean...Ling Yao is...dead?' the little girl choked out.

'He's a goner.' Helena said softly. 'Even worse, that man disabled our alchemical powers, but alkahestry is OK. We can use Alkahestry but not Amestrian Alchemy.'

'We don't know Alkahestry!' Roy cried. 'Teach us!'

'When we get out of here! We'll be fugitives for a while until we sort out this mess!'

'I want an explanation.' said Scar gruffly. 'Why spare you while singling another out?'

'I don't know but we're somehow important to them.' said Edward. 'What's in common with the six of us is that we have seen the Gate of Truth of Alchemy. Because of that, we no longer needed to draw Transmutation Circles for our Alchemy. We just needed to draw energy from the diastrophic energy that is released from the movement and collision of tectonic plates deep within the Earth's crust to power transmutation. And then do with the elements as we will. So what power is Alkahestry drawing from?'

'I'd say the flow of life energy within the earth.' Helena told them. 'This energy is prevalent in all things as well and breathes in rhythm with life forms and nature. If you wanna know Alkahestry, you need to learn to read the flow of the Dragon's Pulse, thereby becoming not only able to commune with nature and understand their surroundings, but sense the presence and movements of the people and animals around them as well by reading the pulse of life energy within their bodies.'

'A-amazing...that knowledge is within Xing's Royal Fifty Clans only, yet an Amestrian like you knows...?' the girl, Mei Chang croaked out incredulously.

'You can say our circumstances are...special.' Helena chuckled. 'But for now, because Lan Fan knows how to read the Dragon's Pulse as a Xingese, she too, can use Alchemy and draw power from nature. Ed, Al, Colonel, you'll be learning from us, if we are to survive that Hohenheim look-alike and his Homunculi!'

'Right...its the life of a fugitive for some of us then!' Roy grinned. 'The Military is in a bad shape and the Fuhrer is a freaking Homunculus...we're in deep danger. However, I cannot leave the Military. I have to protect Riza and the others. I'll be fine because I'm a Human Sacrifice, so someone else drive the car soon. I'll support you from the shadows.'

xxx

Dublith, hours later...

'Dublith...its been years, right, brother?' Alphonse sighed as they went back memory lane.

'Yeah, sensei took us to Yock Island for training...it was pure hell.' Edward shivered at the memory of it. 'But why insist on going here, Helena?'

'Because hopefully, my uncles are ready to join us...but they won't be too happy to learn I became a fugitive.' said Helena sheepishly. 'They're learning under your Master survival skills and Martial Arts, while they learned Alchemy through The Gate of Truth. Moreover, we need a truck, fuel and food supplies.'

xxx

And so...in the home of the Curtis...

Izumi Curtis, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin twitched upon hearing the full tale from Edward Elric while everybody else listened.

'So you're fugitives now, Edward?' Izumi asked the former colonel.

'You expect us to stay put and become Human Sacrifices?' Edward snarked back. 'For what, I don't know, but that Hohenheim look-alike chose us because he saw us come out of 'that Gate'.'

'The Gate of Truth, huh? That means besides the Elrics, three more.' said Remus. 'Ling Yao who became Greed the Homunculus, Lan Fan and you.'

'At least they don't know about Master.' said Alphonse softly. 'That makes eight of us.'

'We're ready to go and we're joining you.' said Sirius. 'We can also use Alkahestry so if that bastard managed to seal away Amestrian Alchemy, we have Alkahestry to fall back on. And we have to keep this a secret no matter what. Ma, I'll help you out in your fugitive life!' he grinned. 'I'm an expert!'

'That's not something to be happy about!' everyone yelled. With that, their group became two more and they quickly fled Dublith if only to avoid attention on Izumi.

xxx

'OK...we managed to withdraw money from our accounts before word spread that we're fugitives somehow.' said Edward in relief as they withdrew everything. 'We better spend wisely.'

'I'm going back to Central.' said Scar to their surprise. 'I won't stop until every last one has paid for their crimes against my people.'

'B-but...' Helena choked out.

'I am fighting for my people. Once every last one of them is dead...I can finally rebuild my nation and my scattered people can come home.' said Scar. 'You are n longer dogs of the military so you are not my targets.'

'...we weren't even born yet when that happened.' Helena sweatdropped as Mei followed Scar.

'Mei Chang, you're going too?!' Lan Fan gasped out.

'We have a friend in Central City.' said Mei. 'I've been traveling with Scar long before I saw you and Central is where Immortality is! If I get one, my family will be saved from the Emperor too and nobody's stopping me!'

'...looks like we need the story about that, Lan Fan.' Edward sighed. 'All I know is you two want the stone for the Emperor.'

'Well...' said Lan Fan with a sigh. 'Our country, Xing is a Monarchy, whose monarch holds the title of Emperor. It's composed by fifty hereditary clans all under the rule of a single Emperor, who cements his rule by taking the daughter of each clan's chief to be his concubine and bear him a single heir for each clan.' she explained. 'While this method works to ensure fealty to the Emperor by binding each clan to him by blood through their ruling families, it creates a great deal of contention between the clans as all the heirs compete to inherit the throne. As it stands, it is common for the various heirs and their vassals to make assassination attempts against their royal siblings in order to clear the playing field.'

'As of 1914, there are forty-three heirs competing savagely to ascend to the throne held by their father, who is reported to be in failing health.' she finished. 'My clan, the Fan Clan is subordinate to the Yao Clan. Master is the 12th prince while Mei Chang is the 17th princess. When the Emperor fell ill...it was like everyone agreed on one thing...the first person to discover immortality will earn his favor. Others tried to kill each other, others experimented on Alkahestry...and it seems only Master and Mei Chang thought of seeking the Philosopher's Stone. Master indeed got the stone...but...' she choked out. 'Why did he gamble on a losing gamble...'

'We'll only know if we meet Greed again.' said Helena. 'We will encounter him at some point. But our group is too large.' said Helena. 'We'll have to split up to better elude the Military. I'll be with my uncles and Lan Fan should be with the Elrics. You will teach them how to use the Dragon's Pulse to get access to Alchemy again.'

'Right...large numbers attracts too much attention. We're fine with this arrangement.' said Edward. 'We will train in Yock Island before we travel again.'

'Good luck to you kids.' said Remus as they made the decision to split up.

xxx

'So we're finally traveling.' said Sirius as they're using a car bought with money, and they kept spare fuel.

'Well, our situation is dangerous now so I hope you guys know how to fight and play dirty.' said Helena wryly. 'Because they will. Because Envy is a Homunculus who can change his shape and pretend to be anybody, we can use the Dragon's Pulse to determine whether or not he's a poser.'

'Right...that's easy enough.' said Sirius. 'Now what?'

'Roy chose to stay in the Military to protect his subordinates. We'll communicate and get jobs from him to support the Elrics.'


	7. Chapter 7

Relief and Getting Stocked

Roy Mustang never felt so alone in his life.

Without Alchemy, and his subordinates placed elsewhere far away from him, literally stripping him naked. Even worse, Riza is now the Fuhrer's frigging _Secretary_. Its almost synonymous for _Hostage_ to ensure his good behavior.

His only consolation was, he is still Colonel and the perks that came along with it and everyone below his rank still following his orders. And he cannot trust everyone because one of these people might be _Envy_. Dagnabit, he really needs to learn that Dragon Pulse thing to distinguish human from homunculi...at this rate, he can't trust anyone!

One night, he felt being watched.

'Who's there?' Roy barked. 'Show yourself!'

'Jeez, someone's on their period...' Roy recognized that voice as from the shadows, he saw a slender armor. 'It's me, Barry!'

'Hooo...Helena fixed you real good.' Roy complemented as Barry sounded sheepish.

'My new, sexy body is solid iron, not that hollow armor crap I used to have.' said Barry. 'That way I won't break so easily anymore and my blood seal is safe too. She made sure of that.'

'I see...'

'I still want my old body though.' Barry sighed gloomily. Well, its still somewhere in the laboratories on autopilot mode...its alive as long as he's alive at least.

'For now, that body is safer for you.' Roy advised him. 'Our situation just got more...dangerous. You're safer in that armor than as a human given who we are up against. You're much more protected than I am.' he said gloomily. 'I want you to watch from the shadows. If any of my office members are in danger, protect them and you're free to hack their attackers as much as you like. Right now I can't move, so I'll be asking you to move for me.'

'Sounds fun...'

xxx

Dublith...

Edward took to overeating and sleeping like a man possessed.

When he asked Alphonse to show him what he looks like in the Gate by transmuting a rock version of him, the older Elric was frantically _scared to death_ and took to overeating, and sleeping for hours on end and that was every after lessons on Dragon's Pulse. He was desperate to maintain its well-being by eating and sleeping a lot everyday Sig remarked he may as well be preparing to hibernate for winter.

Alphonse sighed. The fact that Edward never told him before was because its an unconfirmed theory on his part but now that they got wind that Truth did it because he knows they'll fight for it so he won't let the body die, Edward _doubled his efforts_ and to think he could finish six plates of food before and now he's trying for nine. He even does what he hates.

Drink milk.

That was to prevent osteoporosis at a young age for his sake.

His brother is shouldering everything and this made the younger Elric frustrated and furious at...themselves. His brother chose to shoulder everything while he could not do anything.

Lan Fan could hear him cry at night in frustration.

Well, as they say, Truth Hurts.

xxx

Meanwhile...

'You sure its OK?' Sirius asked Helena as they came to Central City disguised as civilians, booking three separate rooms in a hotel. Since Sirius and Remus does not exist in Homunculi Radar, they're fine as themselves. But Helena used Human Transmutation on her hair and eyes simply to change colors, and the shape of her jaws a little. Her hair by inherent genetics, is now platinum blonde with icy blue eyes. 'Moreover, how can you have blonde and blue in your genetic code?'

'From our unusual family tree we can no longer remember.' said Helena wryly. 'The blonde and blue are in my genes but the black and green were my dominant ones due to mum and dad. We can contact the Colonel and support him from here. He can't use Alkahestry so we have to help him out before we vamoose. This transmutation is only temporary. If I make it permanent, the big guy will get pissed with me!'

'Yeah...sooo how are you going to pass on the notes?' Sirius asked her. 'Just note that I can no longer become a lovable stray.' he pointed out.

'I have my way. And there he is.' Helena smirked as she spotted Jean Havoc who was buying cigarettes from a store. 'That guy is the Colonel's Subordinate. I can use him.' she made a beeline to Havoc who was surprised that a schoolgirl approached him.

'Uh yes?' he asked her.

'Lt...I need a big favor.' she said with a sweet smile as he gave Jean a stationary love letter to the man's shock.

'A-a-a-a LOVE LETTER?!' he sputtered out as his eyes bulged at the letter.

'You see, I want it straight to Colonel Mustang because he's...disabled right now.' came the sweet-spoken yet with a serious undertone to it. Jean paused at this as he knew that this schoolgirl is no ordinary girl. Only very few knew of Roy's...predicament right now and so do other State Alchemists who could not use Alchemy all of a sudden. 'This will enable him to use Alchemy again so straight delivery to him. Hide it on your person in transport. Hide it in your boxers for all I care, get it _straight and act as normal as you can_. This is a matter of life and death.'

'Right!' Jean ran for Headquarters. Helena then went to the alley where her uncles are when her transformation is starting to wear off, causing her to rub her eyes as her hair went from blonde to black and her jaws changing shape. She's rubbing her eyes as she not only feels her bones in her jaws, she feels it in her eyes, too. The pains of physical changing.

xxx

Sometime later, Jean made sure nobody's around en route to Roy's Office while smoking and carrying loads of files and books. Looking around and making sure not even a spider was around, he went inside.

'Here's new paperwork.' said Havoc as he went to dump Roy's new load on him.

'Sigh...this is a lot...they're deliberately disabling me.' Roy sighed gloomily. 'Are you Havoc or Envy?'

'I'm not Envy, jeezus...' Havoc said as he reached into his pants to Roy's horror and pulled out a pink envelope. 'Here, a love letter.'

'Why'd you hide it in your crotch?! I finally snagged a girl!' Roy whined at the unfairness of it all. His first love letter and its in a man's crotch! Ewww!

'If its a real love letter, I'm not gonna hide it in my ass.' said Havoc wryly at the eww factor he was forced to do but he had no choice. 'A pretty girl gave this to me. Something about your...disability.' he said to Roy's instant seriousness expression, handing the letter to Roy who took it. 'You can use alchemy again after reading that. Good luck and be careful.'

'Right...thanks.' said Roy as Havoc left.

Roy hid the letter in his boots AFTER spraying it with disinfectant. This can wait until his shift is over.

xxx

To Roy, his shift felt like eter-fucking-nity as he went back to his apartment. He took a shower, dressed casually, and secured his room(checked for listening devices, even actual bugs, removed his furniture as Riza somehow got to him that Selim Bradley is a Homunculus) before looking at the letter.

It was information on Dragon's Pulse and how to draw power from it to gain access to Alchemy, and tell who's who, from Helena.

Roy felt _saved_ and he can trust people _again_. He spent the whole night awake, studying and training just so he can tell who's who, dammit. Alchemy can wait for now and he has a way to communicate to Helena who will pass to the Elrics.

xxx

Three weeks later...

They are...heading for Briggs.

'Someone tell me WHY are we heading for Winter Wonderland?' Sirius wondered aloud as they were up north at Baschool, heading for Briggs.

'Because Scar is going that way for some reason along with Mei. Mustang got that from Grumman.' said Edward. 'What are they in Briggs for, we have no idea. Besides, if Master survived this place, so can we!'

'Izumi...survived this inhospitable place?' Remus choked out in morbid fear as Baschool is cold. Very cold. What more about _Briggs_? 'Yock Island was bad enough! This place is _University Grad_ compared to _Kindergarten_!'

'We'll be put to the test before we score in Briggs.' said Edward.

'Yeah...survival of the fittest, here we come.' said Helena with a sigh. They trudged the snow and soon...

'Fucking shit, that wagon-dude wasn't kidding when the weather up here has mood swings!' Edward growled as ten minutes into the trek, it was OK...and next thing they knew, it started to snow...and then a windy blizzard with almost zero visibility. 'Helena, a hand here?!'

'Right...dammit, my hair!' Helena sputtered as the wind was making a royal mess out of her hair and some gets into her mouth. She clapped her hands and created an ice tunnel, enabling them to travel in pleasure and comfort. Near Briggs however...they got attacked, surrounded, one hell of a fight ensued...all because they were mistaken for Drachman Spies in the case of the brunettes. The only decent fighters were Lan Fan, Ed, Al and Helena while Sirius and Remus were nothing compared to the kids, and seasoned soldiers. But at least they made up for it in long-distance casting.

But when Olivier Mira Armstrong showed up, her mere presence _made everybody shut up_.

'THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!' she thundered in a loud, hammy voice.

'Damn, she's _Armstrong's sister_ alright.' Ed gulped.

'I'd know that hammy voice passed on for several generations anywhere.' said Helena as snarky as possible. 'At least she _didn't get_ the looks.' they pictured Olivier with Alex's face and shuddered.

'Duly understated.' Alphonse sweatdropped.

'ALL OF YOU WILL BE RE-TRAINED, IMMEDIATELY!' Olivier boomed at her shrinking subordinates. 'And arrest them this instant!'

'Errr hang on a second, before you do that, take this first because Diplomacy is obviously useless here?' Edward sighed in exasperation as he went to a soldier to give the envelope and the man passed it on to Olivier who almost glared at the envelope before ripping it.

'Hey! You just ripped it!' Lan Fan cried indignantly.

'Hn, I don't need identity confirmations here.' said Olivier coolly. 'Take em' at once!'

'No waaaay!'

xxx

And so, all of them were in separate cells in pairs. The plus was, because Helena, Sirius and Remus wore 'mediums' on themselves, said mediums are confiscated and not shackled in wooden stocks. But because the brothers and Lan Fan blatantly did the clappy trick, they got stocked.

'So uh...is she in league with the Fuhrer by any chance?' Helena asked Edward. 'You meet these Central people more than I did.'

'Heck if I know, I never even knew she existed until Major Armstrong told me about her.' said Edward wryly. 'Local expert, what do you think?'

'She's OK but clearly not on our side either.' said Lan Fan. 'I can tell by her aura that she's more than a no-nonsense woman. She's...difficult.' she said meekly. 'The only person to inspire such terror in Xing was the Emperor and the Clan Heads...' she sighed. 'I hope grandfather doesn't find out the hard way that Master...isn't Master anymore.' she sighed gloomily.

'Don't worry about Ling, Lan Fan.' said Edward. 'Even if that bastard reincarnated Greed, the personality is very similar to the Greed Al and I met.' he said. 'Greed knows his name well he won't willingly be a lackey for long. He always wants more as a greedy bastard. Ling is surely gonna exploit that and we get Greed on our side.' he grinned. 'It'll take time though.'

'I hope you're right...Master cannot go down now...the lives of 500.000 Yao Clan members and the Yao Clan's Subordinate Clans rest on his shoulders too...its the same case with Mei Chang.'

'Why is it that kids these days never get a break and doing an adult's job?' Sirius said in exasperation. 'Is fate screwing around or what?'

'Hey, if we broke free from OUR fate, so can they.' said Helena. 'It has to take hell for that like we did though.'

'...what was your life like before coming to Amestris?' Edward asked the three otherworlders. 'Sirius, you first.'

'Me? I'm the black sheep of my family. Literally.' said Sirius with a dark laugh. 'I didn't share their beliefs in aristocracy, that commoners are beneath our shoes or something. An aunt of mine was crazy enough to pass a bill to make commoner-hunting a sport. Of course that was turned down. The stupid bitch doesn't realize that commoners outnumber us 1/10. If that law DID pass through bribery, all commoners will kill all nobles in a bloodbath, not wanting to deal with more crap. I was hated by my own family as a result and I ran away. Helena's paternal grandparents adopted me after learning what I did. Beliefs aside, I had commoner friends and Remus too. Remus is my only living friend left though.' he sighed. 'Everyone else died in war. Next thing I know, I'm framed for a crime I didn't commit, languished in prison for nothing until I busted my ass out for Helena's sake and to get sweet justice done. It took 14 years to get justice because of corruption in the government and Helena publicized that by newspaper, thus I got myself a trial. Then hello~ freedom!' he cackled. 'We can finally be family now that I got custody of her.'

'I was a normal boy until I contracted a dangerous, very contagious disease.' said Remus sadly. 'Even my family treaded on eggshells around me in fear of contracting it too. And to think I had a normal, happy life before that and my parents were the loving kind. Then all of a sudden, I was bacteria incarnate due to my case. We kept it a secret so I can still have a somewhat normal life in school. But there are times that I fear for myself and others I didn't really socialize in fear my secret would be let out. Then I met Helena's father and Sirius.' he said with a sad smile. They didn't care about my illness. We're friends and that's that. Then war came. Helena's parents are killed, Sirius got framed and I can't even take care of and raise a child due to my disease...so the custody went to Lily's spiteful older sister, Petunia.'

'You bet I lived hell and misery with her.' Helena scowled. 'They made it clear they hate and despised me. To them I was worthless and good-for-nothing, yet who was it who cooks and cleans? Me since I was six years old! I'm also forbidden to outshine my dumb cousin or else. I was oppressed, verbally abused and enslaved. I never knew what love was like and normal childhood is long lost to me, until Sirius.' she said softly. 'I investigated Sirius, found evidence he was framed by foul play, and I made it public in paper thus people want a trial to know what truly happened. Once proven innocent he could get me away from Petunia and her husband who I dearly wish he die of diabetes or cardiac arrest, given how fat he is.' she chuckled darkly. 'But years of hell never knowing love or how to be a child makes things awkward. Yeah, I have two caring and loving uncles but how to act like family is long lost to me. I was a very self-sufficient, independent survivor. At least I know they're there.'

'That's about what life we remember from where we came from. The only things we know are summaries of our lives, but no detailed information.' said Sirius. 'Truth took our past and our very lives as well as a power we used to have as passport here to Amestris to start over. That power does not belong here as this world does not have it. Remus' illness does not exist here so its also taken.'

'Bonus for me as someday, I can actually get married.' Remus chuckled. 'I'm too old...34 despite how I look(the health care potions sent can do wonders) but I don't stop hoping.'


	8. Chapter 8

Observation

Olivier looked at some files. Mostly on Ed and Helena, the Fullmetal and Frost respectively.

The two were young geniuses among geniuses. Who scores 1000/1000? They did! Who impresses the top brass on practicals? They did! Both came from Resembool. Teenagers **U-15** when getting the rank Major. And both traveled around. Edward for research on how to get his brother's body back and Helena uses her specialty to help out with Water problems, and even caused Aquroya to rise by ten meters by a city-wide Earth Element Transmutation Circle and solidified the ground it was on, causing her to be called 'Hero of Aquroya' as in less than a decade, had she not stopped by, Aquroya's people would be forced to leave.

Both teens were impressive.

Just that the similarities end as Fullmetal and his brother gets into trouble A LOT while doing good while Helena doesn't, and enjoys a good reputation to citizens and was the only other State Alchemist who was NOT disliked. The teenagers weren't hated because the wars long ended when they joined and they were naïve teenagers who believed in doing what's right even if they see hell for it.

Now what made them come to Briggs with a Xingese and two adult men who were the latter's uncles?

That, is what she wants to ask them for now. For now, she'll use the Xingese.

xxx

Olivier's Office surrounded by soldiers...

'I didn't do anything, I swear!' Lan Fan meeped panickingly as Olivier rolled her eyes.

'What is your purpose here in Briggs?' Olivier asked her in her 'say it or else' attitude.

'Well, we're following a group we split up with.' said Lan Fan. 'They went to Briggs. Not the fortress but somewhere near here. They went for something and we don't know that.' she said.

'You mean there's more of you?' Olivier frowned. 'Who are the others?'

'Ummm...the 17th Princess of Xing, Mei Chang, my Master's rival and Scar.' said Lan Fan as the soldiers fell silent.

'And what, are you doing with a known criminal, Lan Fan?' Olivier asked coolly.

'Well, we're all in danger from the Military now.' Lan Fan sighed and this was news to the men of Briggs. 'You won't believe me but I swear this is true!' she cried as she revealed what she knows, and the position Roy Mustang was in. Granted, Ed and Helena are self-made fugitives but the fact that it wasn't public knowledge yet means the Fuhrer won't lay a hand on them until 'the look-alike' says so. She also revealed many, many more(except for how to create Philosopher's Stones) that horrified the people in the office and caused Olivier to explode in tranquil fury.

She had the other Alchemists brought over and interrogated solo. The arrangement went as Lan Fan is put in another room, someone gets interrogated in Olivier's office and those who have yet to crack are in another room for security reasons.

Edward was very conservative. But said something about the Philosopher's Stone.

Remus tried explaining in a peaceful manner but just as terrified of Olivier like Lan Fan.

Sirius was brutally honest and had his own opinion of Central, fuming and wanting a go if only he wouldn't worry his goddaughter.

Al was nervous and skittish. But revealed only a bit more than Ed.

Helena was less conservative than Ed. She revealed more.

But their words match. The Military...no, the whole country is compromised.

'Now then, Fullmetal.' said Olivier. 'All of your statements matched. Let's say I believe all of you but you're going against a homunculi-controlled Military and very few people knows about it...what the hell is going ON here?!'

'We don't know what they want either.' said Edward. 'All I know is that four of us here are Human Sacrifices because we've seen 'it'.' he said. 'By seeing 'him', we gained the ability to perform transmutations with no need for circles after paying a toll. That's what we all have in common. He wants our power for who-knows-what and we have to find out. His subordinates aside, that's what Mustang is working into at his own risk while keeping us away.'

'You mean by performing Human Transmutation, you get to go there?' Miles asked them.

'Well, you can but it will piss him off.' said Helena. 'He hates it when humans attempt to play God and cross the line beyond nature's laws. However, by using Grand Arcanum on yourself, enough to kill you, you get to see him. You want something, you have to give up something of equal value proportionate to your wish. My family and I wanted new lives, we had to give up our old life to start over, leaving us with a bare summary of our backgrounds, only, with non-existent details. That's how the three of us got off scott-free. Who knows what he'll do if you came to visit for nothing. Probably a body part or two...'

'Gee, thanks for the jab.' said Edward wryly, unconsciously rubbing his right arm.

'Maa, you'll get your parts back because he took the trouble of keeping your limbs and Alphonse's body alive.' said Helena. 'You just have to find the right answer and he knows you will. Otherwise, would he bother keeping your limbs and body in limbo...?' she asked the brothers who exchanged looks.

'That means someday I'll do the right thing to get them back.' Edward found hope in that.

'Just don't be an idiot again.' Helena chuckled. 'He's a nice guy as long as you're not 'playing God'. If you do, you'll pay a hefty fee and you know that best.'

'Major General!' someone barged in. 'Intruder!'

The intruder turned out to be a Homunculus. After dealing with him using tanks, an elevator, special north-blend fuel that acts like liquid nitrogen and Alchemy, he was kicked out of the Fortress. However, by investigating a hole he came out from, it was a tunnel they had NO idea existed, big enough for a platoon to use yet no signs of people using it, ever.

So they went to investigate the Tunnel.

'How do you Alchemists see this tunnel?' Olivier asked them.

'Since we're already north and the guys said there's a curve, I don't think this tunnel leads to Drachma.' Edward analyzed the tunnel. 'Rather it may be to make a large circle.' he said

'A circle?' Buccaneer asked him.

'Yeah. A circle is a factor in Alchemy that allows us to draw and generate energy to make alchemy.' Edward explained. 'As to the remaining factors...' then something hit him.

A paper list Helena gave him. 'If this is a circle...' Edward swore as he looked hard at the map before drawing a circle on Amestris, then encircling ten locations. 'Shit...shit...' he choked as he connected the dots...to reveal a transmutation circle to many horrors as they looked at the mao. 'This is the result after I connected dots that experienced bloodshed?!'

'And according to History in the libraries, the Central Military is mostly responsible for those.' Helena pointed out shakily, looking ill. The others didn't look better either.

'We are so screwed.' Sirius choked out. 'That's a freaking Nationwide Human Transmutation Array!'

'A circle for creating Philosopher's Stones using Human Lives...' Buccaneer swore shakily in anger. 'How many people will die within the Circle?!'

'And Central poured oil on flames since the country's foundation.' said Helena tersely.

'It's safe to say that they created Amestris as a huge sacrificial altar just to make a Philosopher's Stone...horrible.' Lan Fan whimpered.

'So Mr. Hughes...' said Alphonse sadly.

'He died after seeing this pattern.' said Edward just as remorsefully. Because Hughes helped them which is why he was murdered. 'Since he was working at the building where strategic meetings are held, he has more resources than anyone else. He figured out the truth and the wrong person saw him figure it out and he was killed. He was the first...' then he froze. 'Wait, not the first...Isaac MacDougal...he asked if we knew what shape is our country in...oh no, he knew the truth first before Hughes did!' he cried in realization.

'Yeah...he gave a big hint now that you mention him and this map we have now.' said Helena. 'I heard of his attacks in Central after defecting from the Military a day after I passed the exams.' she said. 'He created a city-wide circle to freeze Central...it was a big hint all along. He's dead by now to shut him up.'

'Hughes must have seen the pattern as well...that got him killed too, and Maria Ross was framed for his murder because she was at the wrong place at the wrong time...or impersonated by Envy, thus she was framed for the crime.' Alphonse sighed tiredly.

'Makes me wonder what will happen if I use my ability to draw out and remove the blood from those spots just to screw the Homunculi over.' Helena growled out while cracking her knuckles.

'You'd better not.' said Edward. 'That might make a gigantic Rebound that will screw us all sideways!' he choked out. 'The prospect is tempting but there's no predicting what a flawed circle will do with millions of people in it and I'd rather not see what happens.'

'It means we have to defeat them all before they activate the Circle.' said Olivier in fury as she used the tip of the scabbard of her sword. 'The last point according to this circle is Briggs! MY Castle! This place is the last to see Bloodshed and I don't know what they'll do to make us shed blood!'

'Leave this to me, Major General.' Helena offered. 'No doubt Central created conflict and directed it to Briggs. What if I froze bodies instead and not a drop of blood will spill on the Earth then?'

'Even so, the point is death.' said Sirius. 'Even if we freeze the bodies of Briggs' soon-to-be enemies, the fact is death will happen. A Crest of Blood. Nothing will change as people die in the required places.'

'Damn!'

'Our only option is to stay alive long enough to deal with those fuckers.' Edward punched the wall in anger when hurried footsteps came and someone came on a horse.

'Major General, please return to base immediately!' he cried. 'Lieutenant General Raven came for a visit.'

'Here comes a Military Dog.' Olivier growled. 'They didn't even give us the time to think!'

'Major General...I have an idea and I need your help.' said Edward, glancing up at the woman. 'Can you trick Lieutenant General Raven?'

xxx

And so, in a specifically arranged room with listening devices, Olivier played her role well and skillfully led the conversation to 'immortal bodies'...and Raven took the bait as planned to their glee.

They had to go back to prison for Olivier to act normally as the Northern Ice Queen of Briggs.

One unexpected factor?

Solf J. Kimblee...and Winry Rockbell which was a big 'Oh Crap.' for the brothers.

It was good that Helena, Sirius, Remus and Lan Fan were unknown factors that Olivier managed to hide them. But the Elrics get into too much trouble with the wrong people...they weren't easy to hide so there's no choice.

xxx

'Oh no...then again, if they took Mustang's men hostage, it's no surprise that they looked into their backgrounds and picked Winry.' Lan Fan swore. 'Granny Pinako on the other hand, would use her age as an excuse and rather die than be a hostage so its Winry to make those two cooperate.'

'That's pretty much it.' said a man. 'That's what Miles told us to tell you. Fullmetal is made to undertake a mission as 'a dog of the Military' because Scar is located.'

'Well, shit...' Helena chuckled. 'I hope this bites Kimblee hard in the ass.' she said with a dark smile. 'Kimblee...upon acquiring a Philosopher's Stone from the Military through Tim Marcoh's experiments using the Ishvalan War went trigger-happy, drunk with power and killed as many Ishvalans just because he could. And I made sure Scar knew that before we parted ways.' she smirked ferally. 'If those two meet..._Scar will murder him for us_. He'll pound that son of a bitch to ground beef. I'm sure Miles will be pleased. He's an Ishvalan, isn't he? And _nobody_ will miss Kimblee. He's by far the most atrocious bastard who committed the most heinous War Crimes which is why he's in prison with life sentence after the wars.' the man froze at her words before chuckling.

'Oh my, you figured it out?' he said sheepishly. 'That's our big secret but the Major General doesn't give a shit where you're from as long as you do your damn job. But you know the brass.' he snorted with a shrug.

'Hard not to. Constant shades even indoors, silver-white hair...and up close, you can see the unusual shade of his eyes which I saw not long ago.' Helena giggled. 'Kimblee is as good as dead. Guaranteed. Raven's dead, Kimblee will soon be dead and we don't even have to lift a finger. Whoop-dee-doo.'

'I'll inform Major General Armstrong. You'll soon get orders from her.' and he ran off.

'How do you know all that, Helena?' Lan Fan questioned her. 'You know too much...'

That was one thing the Alchemists agreed on. She knows too much.

'Yeah, but in battle, its information that saves your ass. Not the most powerful alchemy techniques or the greatest weapon the military can buy. The latter two are just tools for us humans to use but in the end, what wins the battle is our ingenuity, creativity and wit as proud human beings. Even without Alchemy, we can do great things as long as we're creative. For now, we wait here until we're needed.'

'Right...'

'You've changed a lot, Helena.' said Sirius with a rather somber sigh. Helena looked up at the roof, before her legs gave in and she slid down until she was in a sitting position.

'One hell of a childhood and my travels as a State Alchemist can do that. In the end, I'm a survivor.' said Helena as she hugged her knees. 'I will use pragmatic means to live no matter what as long as I don't cross the line. In my travels...I got into situations that further disillusioned my view of the world. But upon meeting the Masters and people willing to change a nation for the better by working together instead of heaping the burden on a messiah figure...I got hope again that I can believe in this world and being alive to a world like this. But even after that...I'm still a survivor. It'll be hard for me to change...after fifteen long years.'

'Helena...'

Later...more complications arose. Olivier was taken to Central and a Central stooge replaced her, much to their dismay. And eight days later...alarm sirens rang.

ALL MEN BATTLE POSITIONS! I REPEAT; ALL MEN BATTLE POSITIONS! DRACHMA TO THE NORTH HAS DECLARED OPEN HOSTILITIES!'

'This is it...the final forging of the Blood Crest and the Nationwide Array is complete. Damn them!' Lan Fan shook.

'I'll try my best anyhow.' said Helena. 'We better get there before the Briggs' Army does! We better find Buccaneer or Falman!' and they ran for it to go to the wall. But the shooting already began.

'Well, shit. We're too late...' Remus choked as the shooting began.

'We'll reinforce the walls so Briggs won't collapse!' Sirius cried. 'Lan Fan, Helena, aim for Offense while we maintain Briggs!'

'You bet!' Lan Fan growled. 'We'll deal them a world of pain!' and with a clap of hands, they materialized giant stalactites using the blizzard itself as material.

'In the end...there it is.' said Buccaneer dryly as on the ground...is a mess of corpses and blood.

'Yeah.' said Miles. '...a Bloody Crest. And I can see that Kimblee is responsible for this.'

'Tche...Scar didn't get to kill him.' Helena grumbled out her complaint.

'It can't be helped...we have a hostage to rescue.' said Miles. 'But he cannot be allowed to live. He'll be a thorn in our side the longer he lives.'

'I'd say we kill him.' Helena growled. 'If he caused this much trouble by saying 'hi' and 'goodbye', I really fear for our chances of winning this war. Central has a true Military Dog to the Bone in one Solf J. Kimblee. A rabid attack dog.' she clapped her hands and down below, Kimblee felt his whole body freeze from inside, starting to his limbs.

'W-wha?!'

'How do you like that, you backstabbing bastard?!' Helena hollered with an icy giant megaphone while wearing a sadistic smile. 'The human body is 70% water and Water happens to be my specialty~you're a Rabid Attack Dog so _you'll be put **down** like a dog, you son of a bitch_! Taste north blend specialty, Alchemist Formula Brand X!' a lot of men sweatdropped.

'S-Scary...' Lan fan shuddered.

'Yep, she'll fit in here real good.' said Falman dryly. 'Looks like Major General has no worries if she retires.' "And a good thing to tell the Colonel back home but they'll find out about Kimblee too..." he mused as Helena flew to Kimblee's corpse and checked on his body that was frozen solid.

She found a Philosopher's Stone which she took.

She might need it for a wish someday.


End file.
